Leadership
Craig oversees Portsmouth Housing’s 604 owned and managed affordable housing units in Portsmouth. He also oversees a Housing Choice Voucher program that serves more than 400 seniors and families in the region, as well as a variety of programs for youths, families and senior citizens.
Prior to joining the Portsmouth Housing Authority, Craig was Vice President for Housing at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, where he managed a $55 million affordable housing portfolio for this nationally recognized Community Development Financial Institution.
Craig was formerly founder, broker and director of Craig Welch Group LLC, a commercial real estate advisory firm specializing in property acquisition for businesses throughout New England. In this role, he helped to develop more than 1,000 new senior housing units in the region.
Craig formerly served in the AmeriCorps National Service Program where he developed Service-Learning programs for the University of New Hampshire and the Portsmouth School District.
Craig also served as a policy advisor for New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen and served as Chair of the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. He represented New Hampshire on the Community Development Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Craig currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern New England Housing Investment Fund.
Craig is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and earned his M. Ed in Organization and Management from Antioch New England Graduate School.
Craig runs the day-to-day operations of the organizations and participates in both of the below boards.
Moving Forward
Breaking the "toxic-stress" homelessness cycle starts at birth | Craig Welch | TEDxPortsmouth
Generational poverty and homelessness can be prevented when caring adults protect kids from toxic stress. Portsmouth Housing Authority Director Craig Welch asks us to rethink how our communities care for our very youngest children.
Board of Commissioners – Portsmouth Housing Authority
The Portsmouth Housing Authority is administered by a six-member Board of Commissioners who are appointed by the Mayor of the City of Portsmouth and ratified by the Portsmouth City Council. They serve staggered five-year terms and can be reappointed for additional five-year terms.
Current Portsmouth Housing Authority Commissioners:
Thomas Ferrini
Chair
Kara Rodenhizer
Vice Chair
Daniel Main
Treasurer
Robin Pickering
Assistant Treasurer
Kathleen Bergeron
Commissioner
Michael Griffin
Commissioner
Board of Commissioners Meeting Schedule
The Board of Commissioners Meeting is open to the public and takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 2pm.
The meeting place is the Commissioner's Conference Room in our main office building at 245 Middle Street in Portsmouth, unless otherwise noted on the posted agenda.
Agendas and Minutes are posted on the City of Portsmouth’s website:
- https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/meetings-archive-january-1st-2017-present
- (Select the "Filter By Board" drop-down box on the right and choose "Portsmouth Housing Authority." Choose the intended date range and hit "Apply.")
PHA Board of Directors - PHA Housing Development, Ltd.
The Portsmouth Housing Authority also has an affiliate non-profit organization called the PHA Housing Development, Ltd., which develops new housing. The Board is comprised of six members; two from the Portsmouth Housing Authority and four members appointed at-large. The Portsmouth Housing Authority assigns its two members to this Board and the other four members are recommended by the PHA Housing Development, Ltd Board and approved by the Portsmouth Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Both Boards are affiliated but operate independently.
Current PHA Housing Development, Ltd. Directors:
Adam Ruedig
President
Katherine Kane
Vice President
Kathleen Bergeron
Treasurer
Thomas Ferrini
Secretary
John Bohenko
Director
Ernie Carrier
Director
