Housing Appeals Board Talking Points

A board to hear appeals of decisions of municipal boards, committees, and commissions regarding questions of housing and housing development.

What is a Housing Appeals Board?

Similar to the Board of Tax and Land Appeals, the Housing Appeals Board will be an alternative for review of housing related cases by the Superior Court. The Board is specifically designed to provide administrative efficiencies, subject-matter expertise and adjudication after local reviews are exhausted.

Why Do We Need a Housing Appeals Board?

• We need to make sure all of our systems are working as efficiently as possible as New Hampshire towns and cities try to respond to market demand for more affordable housing.
• The current review process can be time-consuming and expensive. Affordable Housing developers cannot pass the costs of litigation to consumers.
• There is a need for subject matter expertise in the review process for housing-related appeals.
• An appeals board is a proven model to provide review with no impact on local control, as the Housing Appeals Board will have no more power over local decisions than the Superior Court. All decisions by the housing appeals board may be appealed to the NH Supreme Court.