5/22/26: Housing Matters Newsletter

Welcome back to our weekly newsletter!

Yesterday, May 21st, marked the deadline for the New Hampshire Legislature to form Committees of Conference. As we’ve written about before, Committees of Conference occur when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill, and need more time to negotiate changes that both chambers can support. The House and Senate must pass the same version of the bill before it goes to the Governor. If they cannot reach a compromise, the bill does not move forward.

Not every bill that was amended goes to a Committee of Conference. Yesterday, there were many instances where one chamber concurred – or agreed with – the changes made by the other chamber. In those instances, the bill now advances to the Governor for her signature or veto.

In exciting federal news, the United States House of Representatives passed another version of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act this week. It was a very strong bipartisan vote of 396-13. The bill now heads back to the United States Senate. While both chambers have now passed multiple versions of this proposal, we’re hopeful that this version can finally get over the finish line. You can read the section-by-section review here.

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.

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Best,

Nick Taylor

Executive Director

Housing Action NH

nick@housingactionnh.org

Committee of Conference (CoC) Schedule

There are eight housing-related proposals scheduled for a committee of conference next week

HB 1010, relative to multi-family residential development on commercially zoned land.

• Committee of Conference: Tuesday, May 26th at 10:00 AM (Granite Place 230)
• This bill makes technical clarifications to last year’s residential-in-commercial-zones law (HB 631), including clearer standards around infrastructure adequacy, water access, wastewater disposal, and traffic impacts. Housing Action NH supports this proposal. The CoC will consider some technical differences between the House and Senate versions.

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: Tuesday, May 26 at 1:00 PM (Granite Place 228)
• This bill raises New Hampshire Housing’s debt limit, helping ensure the agency can continue financing affordable housing and homeownership opportunities across the state. Housing Action NH supports this proposal. The debt limit amendment was added to the bill in the Senate phase, so the CoC will be the first opportunity for the House to engage with the policy.

HB 1091, relative to unauthorized camping on private property.

• Committee of Conference: The CoC met on Wednesday, May 20th.
• The Committee agreed on a compromise between the House and Senate positions. The House position required that municipalities offer non-financial penalties for violations of camping ordinances. The Senate version attached SB 521 to the proposal, which the House had previously voted to interim study, which allowed law enforcement to enforce no trespassing orders on private property without a written order.

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.

• Committee of Conference: Tuesday, May 26 at 2:30 PM (GP 234)
• Housing Action NH opposed the House version of this bill, but the Senate made significant improvements, including narrowing eviction triggers and adding protections for applicants who disclosed prior convictions during the rental process; however, we still believe it is unnecessary. An unrelated school meals provision was also added, prompting a Committee of Conference.

HB 1540, relative to municipal health ordinances and accessory dwelling units and relative to on-premises licenses for licensed barbershops and salons.

• Conference of Committee: Tuesday, May 26 at 11:30 AM (Granite Place 230)
• This bill clarifies that municipalities retain the authority to enforce local health ordinances related to septic and maintenance when regulating accessory dwelling units. The Senate also attached language allowing for barbershops and salons to sell alcohol.

HB 1588, relative to the regulation of accessory parking for vehicles by local legislative bodies and multifamily housing within commercial districts by municipalities.

• Committee of Conference: Tuesday, May 26 at 10:30 AM (Granite Place 230)
• This bill responds to efforts by some municipalities to undermine last year’s residential-in-commercial zones law by adopting overly restrictive local ordinances intended to prevent development. The proposal would clarify that local implementation must align with the intent of state law. Housing Action NH supports this proposal. As passed by the House, the bill established a new process for creating Special Assessment Districts. The Committee of Conference will be the House’s first opportunity to engage with the Senate language.

HB 1709, prohibiting certain unlawfully present felons from occupying or renting real property, relative to pet vendor foster home and defining pet vendor foster facility, and providing procedures for the potential confiscation of livestock involved in cruelty to animal cases.

• Committee of Conference: Tuesday, May 26 at 2:45 PM (Granite Place 234)
• This bill prohibits unlawfully present individuals who have been convicted of a felony and re-entered the country from renting property. The Senate added unrelated legislation related to pet vendor foster homes and livestock cruelty. The committee of conference will likely focus on the bill’s pet vendor and livestock provisions.

SB 564, prohibiting certain municipal development restrictions.

• Committee of Conference: Tuesday, May 26 at 11:00 AM (Granite Place 153)
• This bill would prevent municipalities from imposing development restrictions on dead-end roads beyond applicable fire safety standards and alter how municipalities can regulate perimeter buffers for purposes of open space requirements. Housing Action NH supports this proposal.

Heading to the Governor

The following housing-related proposals are heading to the Governor. Housing Action NH’s higher priority proposals are noted.

HB 1021, amending the date to provide written notice to a municipality of a taxpayer’s election to be assessed under the low-income housing tax credit program.

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. * This is a priority for Housing Action NH.

HB 1112, relative to snow removal responsibilities in lease agreements.

HB 1336, relative to regulated conditional deposits. * This is a priority for Housing Action NH. We oppose this legislation because it would allow landlords to charge renters a security deposit equal to two months’ rent if the tenant meets certain criteria, which adds costs at a time when it is already difficult for many Granite Staters to afford housing.

HB 1523, relative to disclosure requirements for condominium associations.

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 1726, relative to the sale of surplus state-owned land and establishing a commission to study the sale of state-owned property.

SB 56, relative to consolidating the New Hampshire health and education facilities authority within the business finance authority and establishing a surplus land revitalization program.

SB 415, relative to a certain exemption in interest in condominium units and abbreviated registrations. * This is a priority for Housing Action NH.

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.

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 523, establishing a committee to study the implementation of a residential builder registration system.

SB 541, relative to capital appropriations for regional drinking water infrastructure.

Proof of Residency for Benefits Bill Signed

This afternoon, the Governor signed HB 348, which allows municipalities to require documented proof of residency to access public assistance. As introduced, Housing Action NH strongly opposed this proposal because it would allow municipalities to impose strict documentation requirements on individuals seeking public assistance. These requirements would be difficult for individuals fleeing domestic violence and unhoused individuals to meet, leading to the denial of benefits that they are legally entitled to. As amended, HB 348 extended the initial benefits period to 6 days and updated the hearing process designed to mediate disputes among municipalities over an individual’s community of origin. This is a significant improvement over the bill as introduced, but we still believe it is unnecessary and will lead to individuals being denied benefits they are entitled to due to documentation issues.