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About

Keene Housing (KH) was established in July 1965, with a mission to fill the need for “safe, sanitary dwelling accommodations for the elderly and persons of low-income in Keene.”

Since then, KH has played a vital role in promoting a stronger Monadnock region by providing housing assistance to the community’s vulnerable and low-income populations. KH believes that the best way to help households is by providing them the tools and resources needed to change their life.

Three guiding principles to inform how we approach our work:

Choice

Support KH-assisted households in their efforts to achieve financial security by offering a variety of housing options, programs, and services to provide assistance that is individualized to a household’s unique needs.

Collaboration

Create a spirit of collaboration which links KH, KH-assisted households, local organizations, and the public into a healthier, more resilient, more supportive community.

Independence

Provide residents the supports needed to take control of their life and attain the goals they set for themselves – whether that is moving beyond public assistance or having a safe, affordable home to age in place.

OUR COMMITMENT TO GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND PROVIDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING HAS CONTINUALLY SET US APART FROM OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES.

ITS ABOUT ADVOCACY NOT AUTHORITY

KH goes beyond providing housing to providing wrap-around services that help those we serve achieve their goals. By looking at the households we serve from a holistic, service-driven perspective, KH can step away from the assumption-ridden, top-down federal approach that focuses on the symptoms, rather than the causes, of poverty.

For non-elderly, non-disabled (work-able) households our programs are designed to:

  • Create an environment that encourages employment and financial stability rather than punishing economic success.
  • Ensure all household members have the skills and resources needed to succeed.

For elderly and disabled households, we focus on providing access to programs and resources that:

  • Encourage healthy, active lifestyles that promote aging in community.
  • Ensure households have access to the care and services they need to be happy and healthy.

As evidenced by our programs and consistent with our community’s expectations of us, we see ourselves as advocates for our families, not authorities over them. Our job is to facilitate, not dictate, and we want this to come through in everything we do. Taking all of these things into consideration, and after a great deal of thoughtful deliberation, the Board of Commissioners resolved to change our name from Keene Housing Authority to simply Keene Housing at their May, 2013 Board meeting.

This shift in perspective has allowed KH to support residents’ moves to greater economic independence. Since 2013, the percentage of work-able KH participants that no longer require assistance has consistently met or exceeded 5% annually, unassisted homeownership has grown, and the number of elderly households that continue to live independently has remained steady; all this while increasing the variety of ways we house families and the total number of households we serve.