MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Tuesday, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen Committee on Community Improvement tabled a request by the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success to reduce its rent at 434 Lake Ave. in the hopes of avoiding cuts to their services.
The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS), an organization that provides various types of assistance and trainings for New Hampshire’s refugee population, occupies part of the second floor of the city-owned building, which is also known as the Odd Fellows Hall. Located near the terminus of Massabesic Street, the building also houses the Manchester Community Resource Center or MCRC.
Presented to the committee by Manchester Department of Planning and Community Development Director Jeff Belanger at the request of ORIS Executive Director Mukhtar Idhow, the rent reduction request seeks to bring the ORIS rent from $2,023.50 to $1,423.50 per month for six months, from January to June 2026, effectively a reduction of $3,600 overall to the Odd Fellows Hall Operational Expense Project Account, the fund used for maintenance and operation of the building. According to information provided in the meeting packet, the total amount of that account is at $25,746.67 as of Feb. 23, 2026.
Idhow told the committee that the request came due to federal funding cuts to the ORIS budget, adding that if the request is not granted, then the organization may have to part ways with several volunteers.
ORIS has been a tenant in the building since 2013 and its Fresh Start Farms project rents property on Spruce Street, although Idhow said that building did not have any additional space that could be used at this time.
Last year, the City of Manchester gave ORIS $9,700 in Community Improvement Program (CIP) grant funding, although that money has already been earmarked for refugee employment training programs and helped foster approximately $100,000 in other grants to help refugee students at Manchester Central and Manchester Memorial High Schools.
“We believe the city should be pleased with the services that we provide to the community and a lot of them are Manchester residents,” said idhow. “It’s only $600 (a month). If we are terminating two volunteers over $600, that’s a decision that you have to make. All I am saying is that we definitely need the space and we don’t have the ability to do so if we can’t get relief.”
Ward 9 Alderman Jim Burkush noted if rent was reduced for ORIS, the city may be obligated to also reduce rent for MCRC as well. There was discussion during the meeting that MCRC is seeking to expand into ORIS’ space and Ward 7 Alderman Ross Terrio asked if the two organizations could consolidate into one joint tenancy. Burkush told Terrio that he had talked to MCRC officials and they were not interested in consolidation. Idhow also told the committee that consolidation could complicate areas where confidentiality is needed to serve their clients.
Ward 11 Alderman Norm Vincent also expressed concern that approving this request could set a precedent where other organizations using city-owned properties would seek rent reductions as a matter of fairness.
Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry requested that the matter be tabled due to a lack of information available on the night of the meeting.
The committee is next expected to meet in April.