In Boscawen, housing friendly focus continues with Champions award

An old mill on Commercial Street in Boscawen before it was demolished. —Courtesy
Published: 01-13-2025 4:32 PM
Modified: 01-14-2025 11:37 AM |
Kelle Jo Easler has worn a lot of different hats.
Nearly two decades of work in town government for Boscawen will do that – starting in the town clerk’s office before shifting to land use. The last few years have been laser focused though.
It’s all about housing.
Easler’s land use office has used all the state programs and grants they can get to make inroads on what Easler thinks is a universal acknowledgment – the state is in a housing crisis and needs more units.
The latest is the Housing Champions designation, which identified Boscawen – along with 17 other communities, including Concord – as a development-friendly municipality, opening the door to new grants and training programs.
The program name reinforces it, but the small town of 4,000 might be one of the most housing friendly communities in Merrimack County, where residents are open to development and town staff are introducing new ways to build out, while preserving the agricultural land and riverside that makes Boscawen, Boscawen.
“We have a lot of single, older children that are kind of, you know, in their 20s, late 20s. No one can buy a house nowadays,” she said. “People are understanding what’s needed.”
As legislators in the State House debate ways to ease regulations and other communities brainstorm ways to garner buy in from residents, Boscawen may be a blueprint.
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The town does not have restrictions on dwelling size. Last year, voters approved the right to one accessory dwelling units per single family home and duplexes in all town zones. A handful of workforce housing developments also provide affordably priced options, along with two resident-owned manufactured housing co-ops.
Investments in new sidewalks, access to the Concord Area Transit and the build out of the Northern Rail Trail have also made the community a transit-friendly, accessible destination.
“The town overall supports, the planning board. I know our planning board itself, as well as the ZBA are very housing friendly. Everyone knows that we’re in a crunch for housing,” she said. “We’re trying to provide the rentals and other opportunities.”
With the Housing Champions designation, the town will turn its focus to revitalizing Commercial Street. The program grants will help update the sewer and water infrastructure along the street, as a starting point.
The old mills along the Contoocook River were torn down with a large gravel pit left behind that a developer hopes to turn to housing. Voters will decide on establishing a Tax Increment Finance district at Town Meeting, as well.
But not without holding a community meeting first. At the end of January, Boscawen will host a visioning session for Commercial Street.
“What do you want to see down on Commercial Street? What would you like?” said Easler. “We would really like multiuse… you have some commercial downstairs, residential upstairs. Maybe some units on some of the other tracks that are down there.”
The community conversation drove a similar redevelopment project along King Street, where Easler walked the road with residents, asking again: what would you like to see?
From there it’s a domino effect, Easler hopes. New developers will bring brand new buildings. Residents will have more options to come home and a stronger commercial tax base will lower residential taxes in return.
“That’s what we’re really excited about,” she said. “Get the infrastructure, look at those grants and see what opportunities the town has.”
To attend: Commercial Street Visioning Workshop; 116 North Main St., 4th Floor Meeting Room or via Zoom at 6 p.m.