Warning: Bill numbers and names are based on text-to-speech transcript which may have errors due to transcription issues or ad hoc/incomplete language use by committee.
establishing a task force to assess the development of housing at Great Bay community college and authorizing the college the right to use vacant property for the purpose of developing housing.
Senator Perkins Kolko introduced SB 415, aimed at addressing New Hampshire's housing supply crisis by easing regulatory processes for developing new condominiums. The bill raises the threshold for Attorney General's Office approval from 10 to 20 units for condominium developments, allowing for increased housing supply in both rental and ownership markets to help build equity and tackle high housing prices. She noted the compromise reached with the Department of Justice and addressed questions about concerns with higher thresholds, emphasizing alternative consumer protections like warranties and claims against builders.
SB415
Support00:09:37.420 - 10:09:33 AM
Robert Turney testified in support of SB 415, sharing experiences from his organization's affordable housing developments. He recounted a past 2008 condominium project and a current Manchester development where the 10-unit threshold deterred expanding from 10 to 12 townhouses due to costly state approvals. He argued that the outdated threshold, intended to curb rampant development decades ago, is no longer necessary given modern consumer protections, financing mechanisms, and FHA approvals. Turney supported raising the threshold to reduce barriers while prioritizing consumer protection, noting it would not harm consumers and could apply to larger projects like their planned 24-unit condominium.
SB415
Support00:13:35.124 - 10:13:31 AM
Nick Taylor supported SB 415, highlighting its potential to boost homeownership opportunities and wealth-building through more affordable condominiums, which sell for $105,000 less than single-family homes on average in New Hampshire. He explained the burdensome Attorney General review process, including extensive documentation and personal financial disclosures, which deters development and stems from 1970s-1980s efforts to block out-of-state growth. Taylor noted the absence of similar processes in other states like Massachusetts and emphasized alternative safeguards such as bank oversight, fraud statutes, and low national condo development rates. He provided draft amendment language to limit tax return requests and a chart showing historic lows in condo starts.
SB490
Support00:30:47.432 - 10:30:43 AM
Senator Waters introduced SB 490 to form a task force exploring housing development at Great Bay Community College's Pease campus in cooperation with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the National Guard. The bill addresses housing challenges for military personnel, including National Guard members facing recruitment and retention issues due to high costs and long commutes, as well as Air Force, Army, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard workers. He discussed historical BRAC restrictions on housing at Pease, PFAS contamination limiting buildable land, and potential federal funding for joint military and student housing. The task force would investigate leasing models, public-private partnerships, financial sustainability, and federal statute compliance, with a report to assess feasibility without a repeal date.
SB490
Support00:38:57.927 - 10:38:53 AM
Cheryl Lesser supported SB 490, emphasizing the task force's role in uniting partners to develop creative housing solutions for students, employees, and military personnel to alleviate regional housing pressures. She described GBCC's programs in high-demand fields like healthcare, homeland security, biotechnology, and welding, which align with regional employers including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Affordable on-campus housing would reduce transportation barriers and help students overcome obstacles like housing insecurity that hinder degree completion. Lesser noted existing models at other community colleges and the unique challenges at Pease due to its leased land status, expressing willingness to amend lease terms and participate in the task force for collaborative exploration.
SB490
Support00:41:00.087 - 10:40:56 AM
Nicole Bixler, a 30-year Air Force veteran with extensive experience at Pease, testified about the housing challenges faced by approximately 1,100 Air National Guardsmen at Pease. She highlighted the rising housing costs in Rockingham County, forcing members to commute from farther away for affordability. She supported SB 490 for creating a task force to explore creative housing solutions, potentially involving Great Bay Community College and the Pease Development Authority. Bixler noted Pease's desirability due to the KC-46 tanker, strong recruiting, but retention issues due to housing costs, leading to losses to more affordable units elsewhere. She emphasized that people love New Hampshire but need more affordable options. During Q&A, she discussed activation challenges for part-time Guardsmen, including lease terminations under RSA 540, employer issues, and the role of family support groups and JAGs in handling cases with military clauses in leases.
SB564
Support00:47:07.186 - 10:47:03 AM
Senator Murphy introduced SB 564 on behalf of sponsor Senator Dan Ennis, noting prior legislation addressed housing affordability but more is needed. The bill prohibits municipalities from imposing arbitrary maximum road length limits or numerical caps on housing lots on dead-end roads/streets and allows utilities in open space or perimeter buffers. It preserves municipal authority on health, safety, environmental protections, wetlands, shorelands, planning board, conservation commission reviews, and state fire code. As a co-sponsor, Murphy shared a personal anecdote of a constituent unable to build 18 houses on 40 acres due to a town's half-mile road length limit on a pie-shaped lot, illustrating how such regulations hinder development and contribute to the housing crisis.
SB564
Oppose01:02:31.106 - 11:02:27 AM
Margaret Burns opposed SB 564, similar to failed bills last session, arguing it limits safe planning for residential development. On road lengths, dead-end streets pose public safety issues like blocked access; the bill may override local connectivity requirements, leading to more curb cuts and poor planning. Capping houses on dead-ends prevents dense development without infrastructure consideration and may conflict with RSA 674:36 II against scattered/premature development risking health/safety due to inadequate services. Most concerning, allowing utilities (septic, wells, electric, drainage) in perimeter buffers undermines their purpose for separating uses, blocking noise/light, preserving resources, and vegetated areas; it turns buffers into developable land, conflicting with conservation easements, open space requirements, and cluster developments offering density bonuses for buffers/open space. She urged considering feedback from planners, regional commissions, conservation groups. During Q&A, she lacked data on municipalities with road limits but noted Office of Planning and Development tracks them; on buffers, allowing development impacts screening ability despite possible planning board requests.
SB564
Support01:09:55.071 - 11:09:51 AM
Phil Jacek supported the narrowly focused SB 564 targeting arbitrary municipal caps on road lengths to restrict development, without altering fire code, health/safety/environmental standards, or planning/conservation reviews. He refuted safety claims, noting no contradiction with state fire code reviewed by the fire marshal. Allowing utilities in non-sensitive open areas conserves land by increasing density and reducing sprawl. During Q&A, he confirmed experiences like Senator Murphy's example and that denials based on fire code or other valid standards remain possible under the bill.
SB564
Support01:13:21.653 - 11:13:17 AM
Chris Norwood, representing 7,000 Realtors members, supported SB 564 as a private property rights issue, viewing road length caps as arbitrary inhibitors to development. Legitimate concerns like life safety or fire code should ground limitations, not road length alone determining homes on land. During Q&A, he noted cul-de-sac roads are desirable for homeowners, based on residential market insights and personal experience, countering opposition's safety alarms.
SB564
Vote01:26:54.545 - 11:26:50 AM
Chairman Alexander moved Ought to Pass (OTP) on SB 564, noting committee support for similar bill last year. He viewed it as a reasonable fix to housing development problems with guardrails in section 4 preserving municipal health/safety/environmental authority and fire code.
SB564
Vote01:26:54.545 - 11:26:50 AM
Representative Bollier seconded the OTP motion and emphasized the bill targets arbitrary restrictions like road lengths, leaving valid health/safety and local lot size rules intact.
SB564
Vote01:27:58.945 - 11:27:54 AM
Representative Page supported OTP, aligning with caucus goals to address arbitrariness rooted in public safety. Democrats may propose floor amendments for clarity, but the bill is generally solid; Republicans open to working on amendments.
SB564
Vote01:29:03.145 - 11:28:59 AM
The committee voted on the OTP motion: Yes votes from Vice Chairman Cole, Reps. Thaxton, Aaron, Bollier, Dumont, Grant, Minor, Reinfurt, Page, Newell, Hicks, Howland, Hegner, Kerwin, Chairman Alexander (15-0, with Miles, Reed, Gibbs absent). Motion carried; bill advances to regular consent calendar, Chairman to write report.