Colebrook’s Carol Couture Recognized as USDA’s Multi-Family Site Manager of the Year

When Colebrook lost power in a winter storm recently, Ms. Carol Couture of Colebrook found her way to the Colby Commons apartments where she works as a site manager to prepare soup and coffee for the property’s 28 elderly residents. During a ceremony Tuesday at Colby Commons, officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognized Couture’s dedication to her residents that day and throughout the year by naming her the 2015 New Hampshire Multi-Family Site Manager of the Year. 

“The success of the USDA’s multi-family properties across the state depends on the hard work of dedicated and professional site managers like Carol Couture,” said USDA Rural Development New Hampshire State Director Ted Brady. “Ms. Couture looks after two of the 167 USDA-supported multi-family rental properties across New Hampshire and Vermont. Though we know she does a great job day in and day out, she was chosen for this award because the residents of Colby Commons took time to tell us exactly how important she is to making their lives better.” 

Couture, an employee of Realty Resource Management, has managed Colby Commons since 1998. In 2000, she assumed responsibility for Newport Place in Newport, Vermont. Regional Property Manager for Realty Resources Management Sharlene McEachern praised Couture as an exemplary employee who has exceeded her basic responsibilities by providing training to new employees and designing the emergency evacuation plans used on the company’s properties across Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York. 

The tenants of Colby Commons nominated Couture for the USDA’s recognition citing her dedication to keeping the site and its residents safe. In their nomination letters, residents spoke of her diligence in maintaining the property and fondly recounted her habit of decorating their homes for the holidays.  

Ms. Couture lives in Colebrook with her husband, Arthur Couture.  The couple has three sons and six grandchildren. 

Colby Commons Apartments is a multi-family rental complex built in 1993 by Colebrook Housing Associates. The property contains 28 units of affordable senior housing and currently provides subsidized housing to 28 seniors. Colby Commons was originally financed with a USDA Rural Development 515 Multi-Family Housing Loan. Through the 515 program the USDA provides loans to non-profits, limited partnerships and individuals who seek to provide affordable rental housing for rural residents. Eligible low income residents of a USDA property receive rental assistance to ensure they pay no more than one third of their income on rent. 

The USDA 515 Multi-Family Housing Loan program currently has 88 multi-family housing properties in New Hampshire, 35 of which cater to seniors. Over the course of 2014, the USDA provided over $12 million in rental assistance to more than 2,100 New Hampshire households including the elderly tenants of Colby Commons. 

USDA, through its RD mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an active portfolio of more than $210 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural areas. For more information on Rural Development visit the Vermont/New Hampshire Rural Development website (www.rd.usda.gov/nh) or contact USDA RD at (603) 223-6035.