There’s a reason that the presidential primary candidates are talking about the affordable housing issue as they make their way around the Granite State. They have seen the data and they know that the shortage of affordable homes is weighing heavily on people’s minds.
There’s a reason that Granite Staters between the ages of 20 and 40 report that the lack of housing affordability is one of the top reasons they consider leaving the state. They can stretch their bank accounts only so far on housing costs.
There’s a reason that every other New England state has made major investments in public-private partnerships to spur affordable housing development. They know that a balanced housing supply is critical to sustaining a vibrant economy.
As we approach the final steps of the budget process, New Hampshire lawmakers should not walk away from the housing issue. Home is the foundation.
If you care about education, you should care about affordable homes so that families can access their community schools without having to move young children around. If you care about the environment, you should care about affordable housing development so that we avoid sprawl, longer commutes and increasing traffic. If you care about addressing domestic violence, decreasing homelessness and recovery from the opioid crisis, you should care about affordable homes so that people can transition out of crisis and into stability.
The budget coming recently out of the Senate finally takes some steps toward addressing the affordable housing crisis. It provides funding for the Affordable Housing Fund, it expands homeless services and it create an appeals board to cut down on costly and lengthy appeals, while preserving local control over development.
The Senate budget is not everything we need to address the affordable housing crisis, but it’s a good start. Let’s stand by these investments and start to work together to ensure that everyone in New Hampshire has an affordable place to call home.
(Elissa Margolin is the director of Housing Action NH.)