New Hampshire lawmakers are renewing their emphasis on the housing crisis, with a standalone committee set to focus on the issue.Housing has become such a priority issue for policymakers at the State House that the New Hampshire House of Representatives has elevated a special committee it created in the last session to standing committee status.It might not sound like much of a distinction, but representatives said it matters.”We’re doing a lot with landlord-tenant law, condo law,” said state Rep. Joe Alexander, the chairman of the Housing Committee. “But we’re also looking at municipal zoning. We’re looking at state-level regulations, permitting, state permitting, things like that. So, we’re trying to get the whole gamut, know where we can cut the red tape and where we need to respect local control.”>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<The Senate doesn’t have its own committee on housing, but it will also be working through several pieces of housing legislation. Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka said she wants more funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. “Those dollars are highly leveraged dollars. They make private projects work,” she said. “We’re seeing construction costs rise about 1% per month, and so the state is just sort of playing a very small part to make a lot of projects happen through that grant.”There will also be a bill to expand options around building accessory dwelling units.”The key language in it would allow attached vs. detached,” Alexander said. “It would allow a detached ADU by right on land over half an acre. I think that’s a real key piece of the puzzle.”
New Hampshire lawmakers are renewing their emphasis on the housing crisis, with a standalone committee set to focus on the issue.
Housing has become such a priority issue for policymakers at the State House that the New Hampshire House of Representatives has elevated a special committee it created in the last session to standing committee status.
Advertisement
It might not sound like much of a distinction, but representatives said it matters.
“We’re doing a lot with landlord-tenant law, condo law,” said state Rep. Joe Alexander, the chairman of the Housing Committee. “But we’re also looking at municipal zoning. We’re looking at state-level regulations, permitting, state permitting, things like that. So, we’re trying to get the whole gamut, know where we can cut the red tape and where we need to respect local control.”
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<
The Senate doesn’t have its own committee on housing, but it will also be working through several pieces of housing legislation. Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka said she wants more funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
“Those dollars are highly leveraged dollars. They make private projects work,” she said. “We’re seeing construction costs rise about 1% per month, and so the state is just sort of playing a very small part to make a lot of projects happen through that grant.”
There will also be a bill to expand options around building accessory dwelling units.
“The key language in it would allow attached vs. detached,” Alexander said. “It would allow a detached ADU by right on land over half an acre. I think that’s a real key piece of the puzzle.”