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1 Short Title. This act may be known and cited to as the "Afford Your Home Act".
2 Purpose and Findings. The general court hereby finds:
I. As elected officials, it is our duty to deliver on our constituents' priorities. Housing has consistently been the number one issue, far and away the number one issue in each of the last 3 WMUR polls.
II. According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, New Hampshire is the twelfth most expensive state to rent housing. In order to afford a one-bedroom just at market rate, granite staters would need to make $27 per hour. This is nearly 4 times our state's minimum wage, and nearly double the median wages for fast-food workers ($14.84), home health aides ($17.91), and retail salespeople ($17.34).
III. Vacancy rate is at a paltry 0.6 percent. Not only does this mean severely limited options, less stock also means higher rent for what little units are available.
3 New Subparagraph; New Hampshire Housing Champion Designation. Amend RSA 12-O:71, III by inserting after subparagraph (d) the following new subparagraph:
(e) Adoption of such land use regulations and ordinances that promote child care near jobs with the building of child care centers closer to commercial areas, which may include, but are not limited to, allowing the operation of a child care center by right on commercially zoned land as long as all requirements for such programs adopted in rules of the department of health and human services, He-C 4002, are met.
4 Appropriation; Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program Fund. The sum of $5,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, is hereby appropriated to the New Hampshire housing champion designation and grant program fund. The appropriation shall be nonlapsing. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
5 Appropriation; Affordable Housing Fund. The sum of $10,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, is hereby appropriated to the housing finance authority for deposit into the affordable housing fund, established by RSA 204-C:57, for the purpose of providing financing or state matching funds for affordable housing. The appropriation shall be nonlapsing. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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1 Short Title. This act may be known and cited to as the "Afford Your Home Act".
2 Purpose and Findings. The general court hereby finds:
I. As elected officials, it is our duty to deliver on our constituents' priorities. Housing has consistently been the number one issue, far and away the number one issue in each of the last 3 WMUR polls.
II. According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, New Hampshire is the twelfth most expensive state to rent housing. In order to afford a one-bedroom just at market rate, granite staters would need to make $27 per hour. This is nearly 4 times our state's minimum wage, and nearly double the median wages for fast-food workers ($14.84), home health aides ($17.91), and retail salespeople ($17.34).
III. Vacancy rate is at a paltry 0.6 percent. Not only does this mean severely limited options, less stock also means higher rent for what little units are available.
3 New Subparagraph; New Hampshire Housing Champion Designation. Amend RSA 12-O:71, III by inserting after subparagraph (d) the following new subparagraph:
(e) Adoption of such land use regulations and ordinances that promote child care near jobs with the building of child care centers closer to commercial areas, which may include, but are not limited to, allowing the operation of a child care center by right on commercially zoned land as long as all requirements for such programs adopted in rules of the department of health and human services, He-C 4002, are met.
4 Appropriation; Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program Fund. The sum of $5,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, is hereby appropriated to the New Hampshire housing champion designation and grant program fund. The appropriation shall be nonlapsing. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
5 Appropriation; Affordable Housing Fund. The sum of $10,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, is hereby appropriated to the housing finance authority for deposit into the affordable housing fund, established by RSA 204-C:57, for the purpose of providing financing or state matching funds for affordable housing. The appropriation shall be nonlapsing. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.