What's New at RCAP Solutions
| RCAP
Solutions Recognized as Top Growth Company
The Worcester Business Journal's 2008 Top Growth Awards event
was held November 17
at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, MA where RCAP Solutions was
presented an award as the number 10 Top Growth Non-Profit in Worcester County.
More than 100 people turned out to honor the 45 companies that made the Top Growth lists.
Attendees were also treated to a panel discussion on managing business in today's turbulent times.
For more information and photos from the event, please
click here.
(at right) Karen Koller,
President and CEO of RCAP Solutions, accepts award from Ed Ottensmeyer, Dean of Clark University Graduate School of
Management |
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RCAP Solutions Awarded Contract In Puerto
Rico
The Auction Board of the Municipality of
Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico in its meeting held on September 8, 2008,
evaluated the various proposals submitted to carry out the work in
reference to the Community Water system in Portillo Miramar in the
amount of $80,000. RCAP Solutions has been awarded the contract.
To read the award letter (in Spanish) please
click here.
RCAP Solutions in the Worcester
Business Journal Online
The Worcester Business Journal Online
recently recognized new RCAP appointees: Pamela O’Neill, Deputy
Director of Client Resources; Brian Scales, Director of Planning
and Development; and Donna Warshaw, Executive Director of RCAP
Solutions Financial Services in the "Mover's And Shakers"
section.
For full article please
click here.
RCAP Solutions Aids in Liquid Assets Documentary for PBS
How
would you like to live in a community of nearly 1000
people where all of the raw sewage is sent directly out
through a series of pipes into the local creek, or down
into old coal mining shafts? Where children are being
exposed on a daily basis to a serious disease hazard?
Where communities downstream use the polluted supply for
their drinking water? That is the current situation in
Herminie, Pennsylvania, a small town near Pittsburgh.
Now through the efforts of RCAP Solutions, $18 million
in government financing will soon result in a new
collection system and treatment plant to end the problem
forever, both in Herminie and the adjacent community.
RCAP Solutions was approached by Penn State University
Public Broadcasting in 2007 to ask for help on a 90-minute national documentary
about drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in the United States.
The documentary, Liquid Assets, will be released to Public Broadcasting stations across the country on October 1, 2008.
Herminie, PA will be used as the sole example of such a small community.
The remainder of the documentary will focus on large cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City.
What has happened in Herminie
highlights the critical nature of the assistance
provided by the environmental programs at RCAP
Solutions. Solving this problem will not only protect
public health and the environment, but provide a basis
for economic growth and community development.
Take a look at Liquid Assets on PBS
October 1st - it contains a powerful message about the
deteriorating status of our drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure, and the billions of dollars
needed to fix it. RCAP Solutions is pleased to have been
able to help get the message out across the country
about this serious issue.
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Volney, NY Awarded $3.8 million Loan For Water District
It took six years but the Town of Volney, NY was awarded a $3.8 million interest-free loan for its Airport Water District —
saving an estimated $3.1 million in interest expense over
the term of the financing.
The loan finances costs for a public water supply system,
storage tank, pump station, and distribution mains to serve
the Oswego County Airport area. The households in the area had previously
relied on private wells, many of which were of poor quality
and quantity.
Starting in 2002 RCAP Solutions assisted Volney with many
aspects of the project including the initial income survey
and the formation of the water district.
To read the full article from The Valley News, please
click here.
Previous articles on Volney from The Valley News:
1/9/2002 and
6/2/2005.
RCAP Participates In Nationwide HUD Foreclosure Survey
RCAP Solutions was asked by the Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and local Massachusetts state
agency Dept. of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) to conduct a survey on the effects the Foreclosure
Crisis is having on Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Tenants in Massachusetts reporting back to them for
findings on a state and national level.
The survey showed a substantial number of Section 8 tenants in RCAP Solutions service area of central Massachusetts
being affected as foreclosing entities try to force out tenants with tactics such as bribery and eviction threats. Complete survey results from HUD and DHCD will be forthcoming.
To read the full Press Release, please
click here.
To read coverage on this topic from The Gardner News, please
click here.
RCAP Solutions To Help Cassadaga, NY With
Water Improvement Project
RCAP Solutions has been asked to conduct a income survey
for the town of Cassadaga, NY to help the community qualify
for various loan and grant applications. Cassadaga is
seeking to obtain state and federal funding for a $5 million
municipal water improvement project.
To read the full article, please
click here.
RCAP Solutions Recertified
RCAP Solutions was approved for recertification by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as an official housing counseling agency on June 16, in a letter from Brenda J. Bellisairo, director of the program support division.
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, such as RCAP Solutions, help homebuyers and homeowners to realistically evaluate their readiness for a home purchase, understand their financing and down payment options, and navigate what can be an extremely confusing and difficult process.
To read the full article, please
click here.
Collaborative Tackles Foreclosure Crisis
Five local nonprofit organizations have formed one of the first collaboratives in the state to address the foreclosure crisis and are making educating potential and current homeowners about complex financial and housing market information a priority.
Yesterday, state and local officials, including Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development Tina Brooks, and Mark Siegenthaler of the Department of Housing and Community Development, and Fitchburg Mayor Lisa A. Wong, along with heads of local community organizations, packed the conference room of the MART building on Water Street to announce the opening of the North Central Massachusetts Neighborworks Homeownership Center.
To read the full article, please
click here.
RCAP Solutions Honors Allen’s 26 Years of Service
Marking a career of assisting those in need
which has spanned more than two decades, RCAP
Solutions Inc. honored Carl H. Allen Jr., vice president of
client resources, for his 26 years of service with a
reception June 9, at the Devens Common Center.
The event brought together more than 100 guests from state and
local government, nonprofit agencies,associations, current and past RCAP Solutions employees, as
well as family and friends.
The evening began with Karen A. Koller, president and CEO,
reading a letter of congratulation from Sen.
Edward M. Kennedy. “There is no greater testament to your
exceptional dedication and commitment to all
those RCAP Solutions services than the critical role you have
played in ensuring its ability to develop and
maintain safe and affordable housing,” his letter stated.
Citations from U.S. Rep John T. Oliver, state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer and
state Rep. Jennifer L. Flanagan were presented. Keynote
speaker Julia Kehoe, commissioner of the Department of
Transitional Assistance, noted Mr. Allen’s contribution to
housing public policy and valuable knowledge he has shared
with all that have had the privilege to come in contact with
him. |
Carl Allen and Mary Anne Morrison
To read the full article, please
click here. |
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Long Term Commitment To Saratoga County Project Pays Off
Because of his hard work to help solve their long-term wastewater problems, RCAP Solutions retiree,
Bruce Goodale, was recently invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for sewer construction in Hemstreet Park,
Town of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York. Funding for this project to pump sewage under the
Hudson River to a Saratoga County Wastewater Treatment Facility includes an interest-free $3.2 million
Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan and USDA Rural Development grant.
RCAP Solutions assistance for this complex project to eliminate failing onsite septic systems included
environmental reviews, negotiation for sewage treatment, funding coordination and district formation.
To read the full article, please
click here.
| Residents
purchase Westborough Housing Park for 1.1 Million |
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Building Equity For Residents Through Ownership |
Turnpike Park Co-Operative Residents Make It Official |
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With a stroke of the pen, the Turnpike
Park Co-Operative, Inc. in Westborough became the first
successful resident owned community conversion for RCAP
Solutions to take place in Massachusetts. The event was marked
by The Turnpike Park Co-Operative Board President, Paul Dorr
and Treasurer, Francine Maranda signing the papers making the
purchase official |
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After a six month process spear headed by RCAP
Solutions in conjunction with TD Bank North, New Hampshire
Community Loan Fund and Co-Op Fund of New England, Turnpike
Park Co-Operative, Inc formed bylaws and obtained a commitment
for financing. M.B. Wulf, a park resident shared her thoughts
on the purchase becoming complete. “I know that if Patrick
Pinkson-Burke from RCAP Solutions had not been available to
help us think outside the box and get organized as a
nonprofit, our attempt to buy the Park would have languished.
RCAP Solutions is involved in a housing movement that is going
to continue to grow in importance, and one that has been long
overdue.”
Turnpike Park Co-Operative is currently occupied with 47
mobile homes. About 30 households are members of the Turnpike
ParkCo-Op. of which 65 persons, 46% of the parks residents,
are over the age of 55. Anne Casagranda, the parks oldest
resident (93) and also a Board member shared her victory with
a local resident, "I met a woman while I was out, and we
struck up a conversation. She asked, "Where do you live?" and
I said, "The trailer park." She replied, "You poor thing! They
sold it out from under you!" And I said, "What? We're the ones
who bought it! We won! "
For more information regarding RCAP Solutions Manufactured
Housing Initiative, please contact:
ppinkson-burke@rcapsolutions.org |
RCAP Solutions Officially SOMBWA Certified
On March 27th RCAP received notification from the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Business and
Technology that we are certified by the State Office of Minority
and Women Business Assistance (SOMBWA) as a woman non-profit
organization.
To see the official notification letter for further
details, please
click here.
RCAP Compiling Survey Data To Help Town
Get New Sewer Line
The town of St. Armand is asking residents to return a
household characteristics survey in hopes the survey
will help the town get the information needed to apply for federal
grant money to install a sewer line.
Respondents have to answer five simple questions about their
household, including the type of dwelling,
how many people are in the household and total annual income. The
information in the surveys will be compiled by
RCAP Solutions Inc.
The town could receive up to $600,000 in federal assistance for
the project.
For more information on this topic
click here.
RCAP Community Development Specialist
Nominated to Land Use Leadership Program
Candice Balmer, RCAP Community Development Specialist for the state of New York,
has been nominated to participate in a land use leadership program this spring sponsored
by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program.
The program is designed to teach participants how to use the land use system, conflict management,
and comprehensive planning techniques to accomplish both local and regional natural resource protection.
The Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program has graduated more than 1000 local leaders in the Hudson Valley
and obtained the official support of over one-hundred municipalities and organizations. For the last twelve years,
the program has helped local leaders become more effectively involved in their community's land use decision-making process.
RCAP Awarded $5,565,400 Grant to
Construct Low-Income Senior Housing in Townsend, MA
U.S. Representatives John W. Olver (D-1st District) announced that RCAP Solutions has been
awarded a US Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 grant award. RCAP Solutions
will receive $5,565,400 to construct a 36-unit apartment building for low-income seniors on Dudley
Road in Townsend.
The building will consist of 36 one-bedroom apartments with senior friendly design details.
For example, bathrooms will have ample space for maneuvering with a walker or cane, showers will be
outfitted by a built in seat and grab bar, and the thermostats will have large, easy to read numbers.
The town of Townsend, which chose RCAP Solutions as the developer, contributed the project site at no cost for the purpose of creating this housing.
For full press release
click here.
Atwood Acres In The News
Atwood Acres, located in Townsend, MA, offers affordable
housing for independent seniors as well as those who are
mobility impaired. Managed by RCAP Solutions, the
apartment complex and the special "community spirit" of
it's residents was recently highlighted in an article by the
Townsend Times Free Press. For a copy of the full
article
click here.
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