Exciting news: the Housing Action NH team is expanding, with Ryan Pope joining us to work on coalitions and partnerships! It takes a team to make progress, and Ryan’s experience in lending, affordable housing development, and municipal policy, along with his strong relationships, will be a huge asset to our shared goals!
If you have ideas or want to connect, feel free to reach out to Ryan at Ryan@housingactionnh.org.
In more good news, Housing Action NH is adding fundraising and development support to our small but mighty team! If you or someone you know is interested in a contract opportunity to assist Housing Action with grant management and fundraising, please apply. Here is the link to the contract opportunity.
|
State House Updates:
Floor Recap
|
As mentioned above, the House and Senate met for session on Thursday, May 14th, to act on all remaining bills. They took action on the following housing-related proposals:
House Floor
SB 435, relative to the zoning board of adjustment variance criteria. As introduced, this proposal removed the hardship criteria from the zoning variance process. The Senate amended the proposal to replace the hardship criteria with a new “unreasonable restriction” standard. The new criteria would likely have set a lower standard for an applicant to meet; however, a new legal precedent would need to be established. Housing Action NH supported the proposal as introduced and was neutral on it as amended. The House voted to kill the bill on a voice vote.
SB 508, relative to the zoning board of adjustment appeal period. This proposal requires that all grounds for an appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment must be stated in the initial notice. It also requires that all revised project applications be accepted within 10 days of submission and states that applicants shall not be required to revise a plan more than once, provided the initial revisions address the specific comments and conditions identified in the initial review. Housing Action NH supports SB 508. It received an 11-9 OTP recommendation out of committee, but was overturned on the floor and defeated on a voice vote after the OTP vote failed 151-161.
Senate Floor
HB 1010, relative to multi-family residential development on commercially zoned land. Housing Action NH supports the OTP/A motion. This bill would establish adequate infrastructure criteria for multi-family dwelling units on commercially zoned land. When a planning board determines adequacy, it may consider a traffic impact study or require an applicant to receive permission from an owner of a public water system to connect to the system. A planning board may deny an application if the volume of traffic is not supported by the road design, if the applicant is unable to secure a source of water, or an applicant is unable to properly dispose of wastewater and sewage. These are technical fixes and clarifications aimed at better implementing last year’s residential-in-commercial zones bill. Housing Action supported the OTP/A motion. HB 1010 passed on a voice vote.
HB 1336, relative to regulated conditional deposits. Housing Action NH opposes HB 1336. This bill would allow landlords to charge tenants a security deposit equal to two months’ rent if the tenant meets certain criteria. While well-intentioned, this bill will create barriers for renters who cannot afford a two-month security deposit. It will also limit the number of people that nonprofits, religious organizations, and municipal welfare departments who provide down payment assistance to can help by making it more expensive to help each person. Read more in this New Hampshire Bulletin article. Last week, HB 1336 was tabled by the Senate, but yesterday it was taken off the table and passed on a 14-9 vote.
HB 1499, relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute. Housing Action NH opposed HB 1499 as passed by the House, but the Senate amendment represents a significant improvement. The Senate committee amendment clarifies that disclosure through a landlord-conducted background check or in writing during the application process precludes eviction based on prior convictions, specifies that evictions under these provisions apply only to the individual responsible rather than the entire household, and removes the provision allowing eviction based on any felony-level conviction within the prior 5 years. HB 1499 passed the Senate on a voice vote after a floor amendment added an unrelated policy on school meals for students to the bill.
HB 1598, relative to notice and proceedings for tenants and landlords engaged in eviction processes. Housing Action NH is neutral on this proposal. This bill clarifies the eviction process for non-payment of rent. HB 1598 passed on a voice vote.
HB 1709, prohibiting certain unlawfully present felons from occupying or renting real property. Housing Action NH opposes setting a precedent that housing policy should be used as a tool for law enforcement and has concerns about landlords engaging in immigration policy enforcement. HB 1709 passed the Senate on a voice vote after unrelated amendments on pet vendor foster homes and livestock cruelty provisions were added.
|
As mentioned in the introduction, yesterday marked the deadline to act on all remaining bills. If a proposal passes both the House and the Senate in different forms, the two legislative bodies must agree on a single version to send to the Governor. Legislators can either vote to concur (agree with the changes), non-concur (disagree with the changes and let the bill die), or non-concur and request a committee of conference (disagree with the changes and continue negotiations). The committees of conference can be formed in recess, while all votes to concur or non-concur must occur in session. Thursday, May 21st, is the deadline to form a committee of conference. Thursday, May 28th, is the deadline to sign the committee of conference reports.
Below you will find a list of housing-related bills amended by the second chamber:
House Bills Amended By The Senate
- HB 1010, relative to multi-family residential development on commercially zoned land.
- HB 1042, raising the unified contingent credit limit and relative to the cap on outstanding obligations for which the housing finance authority is allowed. (Committee of Conference)
- HB 1079, allowing accessory dwelling units to be built within or attached to certain non-conforming structures.
- HB 1091, relative to unauthorized camping on private property.
- HB 1103, allowing municipalities to utilize community revitalization tax relief credits on a wider variety of properties and structures.
- HB 1336, relative to regulated conditional deposits.
- HB 1499, relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute, relative to the responsibility of local school districts to provide meals to students during school hours, and reimbursing schools for meals provided to students at no cost and making an appropriation therefor.
- HB 1588, relative to the regulation of accessory parking for vehicles by local legislative bodies and multifamily housing within commercial districts by municipalities.
- HB 1598, relative to notice and proceedings for tenants and landlords engaged in eviction processes.
- HB 1681, relative to the definition, inspection, and local approval of tiny houses and yurts as innovative housing structures.
- HB 1709, prohibiting certain unlawfully present felons from occupying or renting real property.
- HB 1726, relative to the sale of surplus state-owned land and establishing a commission to study the sale of state-owned property. (Concurred)
Senate Bills Amended by the House
- SB 415, relative to a certain exemption in interest in condominium units and abbreviated registrations.
- SB 490, establishing a task force to assess the development of housing at Great Bay Community College and authorizing the college the right to use vacant property for the purpose of developing housing. (Concurred)
- SB 492, authorizing the department of military affairs and veterans services to license and lease property in which the department holds a property interest.
- SB 508, establishing a committee to study the implementation of a residential builder registration system. (Concurred)
- SB 564, prohibiting certain municipal development restrictions. (Committee of Conference)
|
|
|
|
