A nonprofit in New Hampshire that has been helping low-income families find housing for nearly 25 years has begun designing and selling its own version of energy-efficient manufactured and modular housing.
Affordable Housing Education and Development (AHEAD), owning/operating 300 + units for seniors, families and individuals with disabilities, has created a division called Better Homes AHEAD, offering modular homes starting at $93,000 and manufactured homes from $41,000, excluding the land, site work and utility connections.
Larry Berg, the business manager of Better Homes Ahead, said the homes called “Northlanders,” are made specifically for AHEAD, according to nhpr. The homes “are built to our Norhtlander spec which makes it much more energy-efficient than a typical stick-built home, built to the Energy Star Version Three standard.”
Noting some people pay four to five thousand each year to heat a poorly-insulated house, AHEAD’s executive director, Michael Claflin, says their savings from an energy-efficient home should help them save enough for a mortgage on a home. The profit realized from the sale of modular homes, which are marketed to people beyond Better Homes target population, will help lower the cost of manufactured homes to people who are struggling to make ends meet.
While the plan puts the non-profit clearly in competition with for-profit companies, Jodi Grimbilas, the executive director of the New Hampshire Manufactured and Modular Housing Association says, “We welcome others in the industry whose goal is to promote the value and affordability of manufactured housing. Manufactured housing is an excellent choice for many consumers in New Hampshire and we’re pleased to see more people finding value.”
Realizing the project is a gamble, Claflin tells MHProNews, “No question about it. But it is a strategic decision that the board has made and one we feel is imperative if AHEAD is going to continue in their mission.” Mary Ellen Jackson, who directs the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, says more non-profits are taking a page from business to become more entrepreneurial as a means of sustainability in a tight economy. ##
(Photo credit: Better Homes AHEAD)
