Earlier this week, the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs released its annual Current Estimates and Trends in New Hampshire’s Housing Supply report. The report included some encouraging numbers while confirming that there is still significant work ahead. In 2024, New Hampshire municipalities issued the highest number of building permits since 2006, but still below what is needed to meet our New Hampshire Statewide Housing Needs Assessment goals.
Read the report’s executive summary below.
Executive Summary
In calendar year 2024, New Hampshire’s cities and towns issued building permits for the construction of 5,822 housing units, the highest annual number since 2006. Assuming all permitted units were constructed in 2025, New Hampshire has added 25,688 housing units since 2020, or 78.5% of the amount called for by the New Hampshire Statewide Housing Needs Assessment for that period. The total number of housing units in the state as of July 1, 2025, is estimated to be 664,039.
Housing units in multi-unit buildings represented 62% of units added in 2025, the highest percentage recorded since the housing survey was initiated over 50 years ago. Single-family housing represented 35.6%, with manufactured housing representing the remaining 2.4%. The number of single-family units permitted statewide has declined every year since 2020, when they represented 59.2% of all units built.
Housing production in the state is geographically narrow, with a small group of high-growth towns bearing the brunt of new development . 23 communities, representing 43.5% of the state’s population, accounted for 63% of the housing built in 2025. 28 cities and towns in the state are designated Housing Champions communities and were responsible for approving 45% of housing units that were built in 2025.
Detailed tables of permits approved by municipality, county, and statewide are available as appendices to the report.
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State House Updates:
In The Committee Room
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* 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. *
House Housing Committee: Tuesday, February 3rd, Granite Place, Room 231
9:45 AM – Subcommittee work session on HB 1598-FN, relative to notice for tenants and landlords engaged in eviction processes.
10:00 AM – Executive session on:
- CACR 16, relating to property. Providing that individuals may sleep on property they own or have a legal right to occupy;
- HB 1008, relative to modifying innovative land use controls, requirements, and appeals;
- HB 1010, relative to residential development on commercially zoned land;
- HB 1017, relative to accessory dwelling units and workforce housing;
- HB 1065-FN, relative to multi-family and mixed-use development in commercially zoned areas;
- HB 1005, repealing the commission to study the historical evolution of the New Hampshire zoning enabling act;
- HB 1120, allowing subdivision regulations concerning water supply;
- HB 1136, relative to accessory dwelling units;
- HB 1143, relative to the remediation of mold in rental housing;
- HB 1145-FN, relative to affordable housing investment fees;
- HB 1171, relative to eviction safeguards for tenants whose Social Security payments are disrupted;
- HB 1349, relative to exemptions from multi-family zoning requirements for small or low-density communities;
- HB 1371, prohibiting application fees for residential rental agreements;
- HB 1499-FN, relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute;
- HB 1523-FN, relative to disclosure requirements for condominium associations;
- HB 1553, relative to pet-related fees and rent in residential tenancies;
- HB 1598-FN, relative to notice for tenants and landlords engaged in eviction processes;
- HB 1732-FN, relative to housing accessibility and voucher allocation in new multi-unit developments;
- HB 1814-FN, establishing a 10-year strategic housing and infrastructure plan.
1:00 PM – HB 1619, relative to the rights of property owners and limitations on municipal land use regulation, and repealing the workforce housing program.
- What It Does: This proposal creates a property owners’ rights statute with multiple general provisions related to zoning and land-use restrictions and repeals the state’s workforce housing law.
- Why It Matters: The state’s workforce housing law provides an important framework to incentivize the development of housing that is attainable for members of the workforce. Municipalities rely on the law for local density incentives and funding programs utilize the standard to ensure projects meet affordability goals. The property owner’s rights proposal includes problematic language that would prohibit tax incentives, such as 79-E, TIF, and others. If the legislature is looking to focus on the health and safety provisions of the Zoning Enabling Act, the Zoning Enabling Act Commission would be a better forum for that discussion and potential policy proposals.
- HANH Position: Oppose
1:30 PM – HB 1713, relative to zoning conformity and redevelopment standards. [Note: The bill title does not match the content.]
- What This Does: This bill revises RSA 204-D to define eligible housing and income thresholds, authorize the transfer of surplus state-owned property to the New Hampshire housing finance authority for housing development, establish procedures for property disposition and affordability restrictions, and require rulemaking to govern occupancy, resale, and mixed-income housing standards.
- Why It Matters: This would update the state procedure to allow for underutilized Department of Transportation land to be transferred to New Hampshire Housing for the development of affordable and workforce housing.
- HANH Position: Support
2:00 PM – HB 1251, relative to restricting municipal downzoning inconsistent with existing neighborhood density.
- What It Does: This bill requires municipalities to approve residential construction permits when a licensed architect certifies that the proposed density matches surrounding development, and prohibits discretionary zoning denials inconsistent with existing neighborhood patterns.
- Why It Matters: In neighborhoods built prior to strict zoning regulations, you often find a mix of single-family, two-family, and three-family homes. This type of gentle density was common prior to more restrictive zoning. This proposal seeks to allow context-based density by requiring local approval for density consistent with the neighborhood character.
- HANH Position: Support
2:30 PM – HB 1295, relative to eligibility requirements for charitable and nonprofit housing projects.
- What It Does: This bill restricts eligibility requirements for charitable, nonprofit housing project tax exemptions with a specific focus on elderly housing.
- HANH Position: Monitor
3:00 PM – Continued public hearing on HB 1005, repealing the commission to study the historical evolution of the New Hampshire zoning enabling act.
- What It Does: This bill repeals the bipartisan commission contained in 2024’s HB 399.
- Why It Matters: The commission is tasked with studying the historical evolution of New Hampshire’s Zoning Enabling Act and providing legislative recommendations to the Governor and legislative leadership on November 1, 2026. Any recommended legislation would still need to advance through the formal legislative process. This commission provides a transparent, bipartisan, and knowledgeable forum for this important discussion.
- HANH Position: Oppose
3:01 PM – Continued public hearing on HB 1357, permitting in all residentially zoned areas by right the placement of newly constructed manufactured homes.
- What It Does: This bill permits newly built manufactured homes as of right on individual lots in all residential zones statewide and prohibits discriminatory zoning restrictions against them.
- Why It Matters: Manufactured homes are a more affordable form of homeownership. There is no reason to treat modern manufactured homes any differently than other types of housing construction. Concerns around community character and “fit” are rooted in the stigma associated with manufactured housing. We should end this legalized discrimination.
- HANH Position: Support
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State House Updates:
On The Floor
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The House will meet for session on Thursday, February 5th. They are scheduled to vote on the following housing-related proposals:
Housing Committee Consent Calendar
- HB 1006, relative to on-site parking requirements for accessory dwelling units. Committee recommendation: ITL 17-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL motion.
- HB 1009, relative to municipal parking requirements for residential units. Committee recommendation: ITL 17-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL motion.
- HB 1011, repealing zoning restrictions on dwelling units. Committee recommendation: ITL 17-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL recommendation.
- HB 1012, repealing accessory dwelling units and detached accessory dwelling units. Committee recommendation: ITL 16-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL motion.
- HB 1016, eliminating the requirement that municipalities allow for manufactured housing development opportunities. Committee recommendation: ITL 17-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL motion.
- HB 1625-FN, relative to annual reporting on accessory dwelling unit construction and use. Committee recommendation: ITL 16-2. Housing Action NH supported this concept with an amendment.
- HB 1662-FN, relative to providing loan guarantees for accessory dwelling unit financing. Committee recommendation: ITL 16-2. Housing Action NH supported further review of the concept.
Municipal and County Government Committee Consent Calendar
- HB 1246, relative to planning board members serving on other local boards. Committee recommendation: OTP 18-0. Housing Action NH does not have a position on this bill.
- HB 1461-FN-LOCAL, encouraging municipalities with sewage systems to extend system service to neighboring communities. Committee recommendation: ITL 18-0. Housing Action NH supported this concept.
- HB 1497, relative to replacing members of local land use boards for certain conduct. Committee recommendation: ITL 18-0. Housing Action NH does not have a position on this bill.
- HB 1674, creating a tax exemption for certain lower-income property owners. Committee recommendation: ITL 16-0. Housing Action NH does not have a position on the bill.
- HB 1802-FN-A, relative to training, testing, and certification of local land use board members and making an appropriation therefor. Committee recommendation: ITL 18-0. Housing Action NH does not have a position on this bill.
Housing Committee Regular Calendar
- HB 1098, relative to municipalities denying building or occupancy permits for property adjacent to class VI roads under certain circumstances. Committee recommendation: ITL 17-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL motion.
- HB 1196-FN, repealing the state housing champion designation and grant program. Committee recommendation: OTP 10-8. Housing Action NH supports an ITL motion.
- HB 1405-FN, relative to the housing finance authority’s affordable housing guarantee program. Committee recommendation: ITL 10-8. Housing Action NH supports an OTP motion.
- HB 1612-FN, relative to the use of price-fixing websites, algorithms, or other software by landlords. Committee recommendation: ITL 10-8. Housing Action NH supports an OTP motion.
- HB 1661-FN, relative to expanding the housing finance authority’s community heroes program and makes an appropriation therefor. Committee recommendation: ITL 10-8. Housing Action NH supports an OTP motion.
- HR 30, finding that planning, zoning, and related regulations have been and should continue to be the responsibility of municipal government. Committee recommendation: ITL 17-0. Housing Action NH supports the ITL motion.
The Senate will meet on Thursday, February 5th. They are scheduled to vote on the following housing-related proposal:
- SB 436, relative to zoning board of adjustment membership criteria. Committee recommendation: ITL 5-0. Housing Action NH does not have a position on this proposal.
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State House Updates:
Floor Recap
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The House did not meet for session this week.
The Senate met for session yesterday. They voted on four housing-related proposals. All four proposals were on the consent calendar.
- PASSED – 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. Housing Action NH supported the OTP motion.
- PASSED – SB 492-FN, authorizing the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services to license and lease property in which the department holds a property interest. Housing Action NH supported the OTP motion.
- PASSED – SB 521-FN, relative to unauthorized camping on private property. Housing Action NH did not have a position.
- DEFEATED – SB 471, relative to affordable housing investment fees. Housing Action NH supported the ITL motion.
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