FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2024
603 Forward Statement Following Special Committee on Housing Hearing
Special Committee on Housing Holds First Hearing on Housing Legislation
CONCORD, NH — Today, the Special Committee on Housing conducted hearings on several bills that could significantly impact New Hampshire's housing landscape. Following the hearing, 603 Forward Advocacy and Engagement Director, Matt Mooshian, released the following statement with Manchester Planning Board Chair, Bryce Kaw-uh:
“Today, young folks from around the Granite State packed the committee room to support pro-housing bills championed by young leaders like Representatives Joe Alexander, Ellen Read, and Rebecca McWilliams. However, due to time constraints from inadequate scheduling, the voices of countless young workers, advocates, and community members who dedicated their time to share their stories before lawmakers were left unheard, underscoring the imperative for a truly accessible legislature that constituents can count on. This is one of many examples that showcases the need for changes to be made. If our legislative process included remote access or after-work hearings, more hardworking Granite Staters could participate, making the lawmaking process more inclusive and representative.
While we hoped the committee would have heard HB1291 today, we look forward to the future hearing, and we urge the committee to heed the collective voices of Granite Staters and to take decisive action by advancing the passage of HB1291, HB1399, and HB1400," said Matt Mooshian.
Thankfully, the committee was able to hear from Manchester Planning Board Chair, Bryce Kaw-uh, on the impact of parking requirements on affordable housing development: “While well-meaning, mandatory parking minimums have an undeniably detrimental effect on housing supply and affordability. Developers are already incentivized to provide enough parking to meet market demands. Yet all across New Hampshire, cities and towns are forcing developers to build unwanted extra parking spaces. We are paving over paradise at a terrible cost. Each unnecessary parking space can take thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to create, a heavy burden which is eventually recouped in the form of higher rents and sales prices.
This is a simple, straightforward, and targeted bill. Should the state of New Hampshire allow city and town governments the authority to mandate more than one parking space per housing unit?
I think not. We are in a housing crisis and should act accordingly. Cities across the country are reducing or abolishing mandatory minimum parking requirements. New Hampshire should be next,” said Bryce Kaw-uh.
BACKGROUND
New Hampshire’s current housing vacancy rate is 0.3%—over 4 percentage points lower than what is considered to be a “balanced market” for both tenants and landlords.
According to a study by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, New Hampshire is one of the most restrictive states in the country for residential development, which has contributed to a shortage of housing that has major implications for the state's economy.
Among the bills heard today were HB1399, seeking to empower municipalities to permit the construction of two residential units in certain single-family residential zones, and HB1400, which proposes the elimination of parking mandates to streamline development processes, reduce costs, and foster efficient land use.
These three bills stand out as top priorities for 603 Forward in this legislative session, presenting significant steps towards addressing the 25,000 to 30,000 unit housing deficit gripping our state.
603 Forward envisions a thriving New Hampshire where all people are free to live, work and raise a family. In our New Hampshire: democracy is protected above all else; young people have a voice in government at all levels; and policy changes help to build an inclusive, affordable, and resilient state.
###