End of Emergency Rental Assistance Program in NH Threatens Housing for Hundreds of Granite Staters

CONCORD – The State of New Hampshire learned Thursday that the U.S. Treasury denied their $67 million request for additional emergency rental housing assistance. The Governor’s office announced yesterday afternoon that the NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program, a lifeline for housing stability for thousands of NH’s households, will cease to accept new applications starting today.

Elissa Margolin, director of Housing Action New Hampshire, released the following statement:

“We feel that it’s incumbent on us to sound the alarm regarding a likely uptick in evictions, lack of payments to landlords, and homelessness. We urge the US Treasury to reconsider New Hampshire’s request and we urge the Governor and the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee to approve other federal or state funds as soon as possible to help transition the most vulnerable families to a more stable housing situation. We are particularly concerned about the over 700 families, including families with children, who are currently living in hotels funded by this program. Now is the time for leaders to come together to identify a solution to this precarious situation.”

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Housing Action NH works to improve state and federal policy so everyone in New Hampshire has a place to call home.