HB 1726-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2860
06/09
HOUSE BILL 1726-FN
SPONSORS: Rep. Muns, Rock. 29; Rep. Booras, Hills. 8; Rep. de Vries, Rock. 29; Rep. Hegner, Hills. 41; Rep. Howland, Straf. 20; Rep. Lane, Merr. 16; Rep. Maggiore, Rock. 23; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Read, Rock. 10; Rep. Stavis, Graf. 13; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21
COMMITTEE: Housing
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ANALYSIS
This bill directs state agencies to identify surplus property for affordable housing and permits below-market conveyance to qualified developers.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2860
06/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraphs; Disposal of Real Estate. Amend RSA 4:40 by inserting after paragraph V the following new paragraphs:
VI. Each state agency as defined in RSA 5-D:1, IV shall, as part of its development of the biennium state budget, identify all state-owned property under its jurisdiction that is, in its judgment, suitable for development or redevelopment as affordable housing, as defined in RSA 204-C:56, I. The department shall adopt guidelines to assist agencies in determining the suitability of state-owned property.
VII. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 4:40, III, and III-a, state-owned property so identified may be made available to qualified developers at below market rates, subject to competitive solicitation, with the requirement that at least 20 percent of the housing units to be developed or redeveloped on such property will be affordable to low- and moderate-income households for a period of not less than 20 years. The department shall convey such property with the necessary covenants and restrictions to ensure that the property is used for the purpose development or redevelopment as affordable housing as defined in RSA 204-C:56, I. For the purposes of these section “qualified developers” means a person or legal entity that can demonstrate to the state the financial, technical and managerial capability to engage in the re-development, development or construction of housing.
VIII. Any state agency that identifies and disposes of unused or underutilized state property for residential development in compliance with this section shall retain any revenue, proceeds, or budgetary credit associated with such property for one additional budget cycle following the disposition.
IX. The department, as part of the existing housing planning and regulation municipal grant program established in RSA 12-O:72, shall prioritize grant applications from municipalities that collaborate with state agencies in the identification and rezoning of state property for housing development compliant with this section.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
26-2860
12/12/25
HB 1726-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to promoting housing on unused state land.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase less than $100,000 per FY | ||||
Revenue Fund(s) | Various Agency Funds | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | ||||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
County Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
County Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase under $10,000 per municipality | ||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill directs agencies to identify unused or underutilized state-owned property suitable for affordable housing development. It allows the property to be offered to qualified developers at below-market rates, with a requirement that at least 20% of the housing units remain affordable for low- and moderate-income households for a minimum of 20 years. Additionally, the bill also expands municipal grants to support rezoning efforts and prioritizes funding for municipalities that collaborate with state agencies in identifying land for housing. Agencies may retain revenue from the sale of surplus property for one additional budget cycle following the sale.
The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) estimates that the bill would generate less than $100,000 in net sale proceeds in any foreseeable fiscal year, due to the limited number of unused and underutilized state-owned properties. A key factor limiting property sales is the remoteness of many parcels from public roads and utilities.
The bill is also expected to increase state expenditures, as additional staff or contractors with the necessary qualifications and experience would be needed to assess development potential, estimate market value under affordable housing requirements, and perform related tasks. While the Department of Transportation (DOT) has the appropriate expertise, it lacks the staffing capacity to support this effort across agencies. DAS projects that state expenditures will remain under $100,000 annually.
At the local level, municipalities that choose to collaborate with state agencies may see increased expenditures of less than $10,000 each, primarily due to the need for additional staff time or contractor support.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Administrative Services
Dec. 17, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Housing HJ 1