Charrettes
FIT - New Horizons, Manchester
Before you dive into this charrette report, which contains a summary of the recommendations made by the Plan NH team members, we want to preface this by talking about people who don’t have a place to live – the population being served by Families in Transition-New Horizons (FIT-NH).
Illustrations Courtesy of New Horizon Charrette
Why Did Plan NH Come to FIT NH in Manchester?
Families in Transition-New Horizons (FIT-NH) requested assistance from Plan NH to redevelop the existing New Horizons facility and reimagine the surrounding neighborhood to better serve the shelter guests and the shelter’s neighbors. The mission of FIT-NH is to provide hunger relief, emergency shelter, safe affordable housing, and supportive services to individuals and families who are homeless or in need, enabling them to gain self-sufficiency and respect.
What the Community Told Plan NH
On Friday, June 28th, Plan NH invited stakeholders and members of the community to share their thoughts with the team about the future of 199 Manchester Street.
What do you see?
- Very little beautification or greenspace
- Shelter guests lack access to a safe and comfortable bathroom facility
- Perception that area is not safe
- Dark (no streetlights)
What do you want to see?
- Campus – a better connected and coordinated neighborhood
- Somewhere to store belongings safely and charge devices
- More variety for food
- Somewhere to lock your bicycle up
What else do we need to know?
- Swing big – the staff is open to big moves
- Education is needed for the public to combat perceptions
- There are opportunity properties nearby that can be acquired
- FIT-NH has 220 units of supportive housing
