4/27/26: Housing Matters Newsletter

Welcome back to our weekly newsletter!

As the legislative session heads into its final stretch, a series of key deadlines over the next six weeks will drive the action forward. Here’s what to expect:

Thursday, May 14: Deadline for the House to act on all remaining Senate bills and for the Senate to act on all remaining House bills.

Thursday, May 21: Deadline to form committees of conference

Thursday, May 28: Deadline to sign committee of conference reports

Thursday, June 4: Last day to act on committee of conference report

We’ll dive into the committee of conference process in the coming weeks, but the key point is that for a bill to head to the Governor, the House and Senate must pass identical versions. If a bill was amended in the second chamber, it must go back to the initial chamber for a vote. The initial chamber can decide to concur (agree with the changes), non-concur and request a committee of conference (continue the negotiations between the House and Senate), or non-concur (disagree with the changes, not continue negotiations, and let the bill die).

In some good news, the Senate formally voted yesterday to kill the effort to repeal the Housing Champions Program. You can read our statement here. Thank you for all your advocacy on this key bill over the last few months.

As always, if you have questions about the legislation we mention in the newsletter or housing-related proposals that aren’t included, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

If you were forwarded this newsletter and would like to receive future updates, you can sign up here.

Best,

Nick Taylor

Executive Director

Housing Action NH

nick@housingactionnh.org

State House Updates:

In The Committee Room

* As a reminder, the legislative office building is closed for renovations. All House committee meetings will be held at 1 Granite Place (South Building), Concord, NH. You can find directions and general information here. *

There are no relevant House Committee hearings next week.

Senate Commerce Committee – Tuesday, April 28th, State House Room 100

The Senate Subcommittee on Housing will meet for a work session at 9:00 am.

The Senate Commerce Committee will meet in executive session on Tuesday at 10:30 am to take action on remaining bills. This may include recommendations on HB 1010, relative to multi-family residential development on commercially zoned land. HB 1079, allowing accessory dwelling units to be built within or attached to certain non-conforming structures. HB 1103, allowing municipalities to utilize community revitalization tax relief credits on a wider variety of properties and structures. HB 1295, relative to eligibility requirements for charitable and nonprofit housing projects. HB 1336, relative to regulated conditional deposits. HB 1540, relative to municipal health ordinances and accessory dwelling units. HB 1588, establishing special assessment districts and expands the housing infrastructure grant program to allow for municipal upgrades linked to new housing and making an appropriation therefor. HB 1681, relative to the definition, inspection, and local approval of tiny houses and yurts as innovative housing structures.

State House Updates:

On The Floor

The House will not meet for session next week.

The Senate will not meet for session next week.

Floor Recap

The House met for session on Thursday, April 23rd. The House voted on the following housing-related proposals.

• Interim Study – SB 441-FN, relative to the financial responsibility for local assistance and enabling municipalities to request a hearing regarding the residency of an assisted person. The legislative text differed from the title of the bill. As passed by the Senate, it required municipalities to have an MOU before transporting individuals for substance use treatment. This would be challenging for many shelters and health care facilities to implement. Housing Action did not support this bill moving forward.
• Ought to Pass w/ Amendment – SB 564, prohibiting certain municipal development restrictions. This proposal prohibits dead-end roadway restrictions that go beyond fire safety standards. The House passed this proposal on a 195-147 vote. Housing Action NH supports this proposal.

The Senate met for session on Thursday, April 23rd. The Senate voted on the follow housing related proposals:

• Inexpedient to Legislate –  HB 1196-FN, repealing the state housing champion designation and grant program. This proposal would have eliminated the successful Housing Champions Program. The Senate unanimously defeated this proposal. Housing Action NH supported the ITL motion.
• Ought to Pass w/ Amendment – HB 1726-FN, relative to the sale of surplus state-owned land. This bill requires proceeds from the sale or lease of surplus state-owned land to be credited to the originating department’s fund. It also creates a commission to study the availability and sale of state-owned land for housing. HB 1726 passed unanimously. Housing Action NH supports this proposal.

Mission Aligned Job Posting

The Youth Success Project, an advocacy-focused youth homelessness organization, is seeking its next Executive Director! We invite you to learn more, apply, or share the opportunity with your networks: https://www.nhnonprofits.org/jobs/executive-director-545. Please note that the application deadline is Friday, May 8th. Please feel free to reach out to Ariel at ariel@nhyouthsuccess.com with any questions.