SEABROOK — More requests for fuel assistance and fewer building permits are just two of the signs indicating that residents are feeling the effects of a slowing economy.
Both Welfare Director Bonnie Armentrout and Health and Building Code Enforcement Officer Paul Garand described that impact to selectmen Wednesday. Armentrout is getting more requests for fuel assistance from residents who can't keep up with their fuel bills, and Garand says more people are living in substandard and illegal apartments.
Armentrout fears the town might run out of heating assistance money before the warm weather arrives, and Garand is worried about the well-being of those living in places that aren't safe.
"People are just living wherever they can afford to live," Garand said after the meeting. "They're living in illegal basement apartments, and it's not good. Bedrooms are supposed to have windows so people can get out in case of fire, and many of these apartments don't have windows or second exits. Basements are where most furnaces are; they're where carbon monoxide can build up. Every dwelling unit's supposed to have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and many of these don't. People can lose their lives."
Garand's fear is compounded by the number of reports he's getting about illegal apartments. Reports are higher than in years past, he said.
In addition, Garand said the number of building-related permits he's issued so far this year is about half of last year's number. In January 2007, Garand issued 13 permits; last month he issued only five. Of the five, only one was for a new single-family home, he said, and another was for a family apartment. The three other permits were for a sign, a commercial remodel and a residential remodel.
Garand did some digging and found that foreclosures have risen steeply in town as well. In all of 2007, Garand could only recall two foreclosures, he said. But when he put together his list this year, he saw 32 foreclosures.
Although some on the list may be from years past, Garand said the length of the list is huge compared to what he's seen prior to this.
Armentrout told selectmen she's noticed only one positive sign from the flagging economy. Landlords are lowering rents for available apartments.
"In the past, a three-bedroom unit in town usually went for about $1,600 (a month), but lately they've dropped to about $1,200," she said. "One-bedroom units usually went for $1,100 but have dropped to about $850 now."
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