Community
February 13, 2024

On December 8, 2023 the Center for Ethics in Society hosted its sixth annual Housing We Need Stakeholder Forum at Saint Anselm College. In attendance were over 100 New Hampshire leaders working on the housing shortage in various capacities. 

The half-day forum was focused on housing progress across New Hampshire communities and steps needed to maintain momentum. The program included a release of the 2023 NH Zoning Atlas, updates on state legislative action, community success stories, a roundtable discussion, Home Matters in NH awards, and a keynote interview of Jim O’Connell, whose work with Boston’s homeless population was the subject of the New York Times bestseller, Rough Sleepers.

Jim O'Connell speaking at the forum

The roundtable portion of the program featured two questions, the first of which was, “What gives you hope about the future of housing in your community?”

In response, participants agreed that stakeholders should be encouraged by the emergence of so many pro-housing voices from all ages and sectors across New Hampshire. The housing affordability problem, most visible in the growing problems of homelessness and housing insecurity, is now a matter of widespread awareness, with democrats and republicans, employers and employees, young and old, new parents and aging seniors, and state and local officials all joining together to express concern about the housing shortage and a desire to collaborate on solutions.

Roundtable discussion at the Housing We Need forum

Attendees also noted that an increasing number of communities are having productive conversations about adjusting their zoning to support new housing, with growing support for smaller homes, including ADU’s, cottage-style homes, duplexes and multifamily housing. The progress is especially evident in the construction of new units in some of our larger communities. As noted in one success story, Manchester alone has over 800 new units currently in construction.

In response to the second question, “How can we build on the momentum that is happening around New Hampshire?” there was a consensus that housing coalitions need to continue to provide public education, positive messaging, and local success stories around housing in order to dispel myths, break down stereotypes, and create welcoming attitudes towards housing. Along the way, stakeholders should encourage more people from all backgrounds to get involved in conversations about housing: business leaders, young professionals, students and renters are especially needed to serve on boards, show up at meetings, and advocate for change, especially zoning changes to welcome new housing.

Attendees also agreed that state legislators should work together to secure more funding to support affordable housing and to support community efforts to update their zoning. A more complete list of forum responses to each question are provided below:

What gives you hope for the future of housing in your community?

  • There is growing support statewide for smaller housing, including ADU’s, tiny/cottage style homes, duplexes and multifamily housing, and smaller single-family homes.
  • Productive bi-partisan conversations about housing are happening across the state, in small and large communities, public forums, on social media, and in the state legislature.
  • The housing affordability problem is now a matter of widespread awareness and concern, with pro-housing voices being heard in all ages and sectors. Democrats and republicans, employers and employees, young and old, new parents and aging seniors, state and local officials, are collectively expressing a concern about housing and a desire to collaborate on solutions.
  • There are signs of progress and momentum happening across the state, especially in the construction of new units in some of our larger communities. Manchester has over 800 new units currently in development.
  • More and more communities are adjusting their zoning to support new housing development.
  • Business leaders and employers are taking initiative to speak up in favor of housing, and to collaborate on solutions.
  • The growing problems of homelessness and housing insecurity are forcing communities to address the shortage of homes.

 

How can we build on the momentum that is happening around New Hampshire?

  • Encourage more people from all backgrounds to get involved in their community conversations. Business leaders and employers, students and renters, young professionals and aging seniors need to serve on boards, show up at meetings, and advocate for change.
  • State legislators need to work together to secure more funding to support affordable housing and to support community efforts to update their zoning.
  • Support creative community conversations about zoning to allow development of smaller homes of all types, including single family starter homes, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, tiny/cottage style homes, and more.
  • Continue to provide public education, positive messaging, and local success stories around housing in order to dispel myths, break down stereotypes, and create welcoming attitudes towards housing.

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