Concord, N.H. – Representative Maggie Goodlander hosted a roundtable with leaders in the New Hampshire housing space to hear about the challenges in expanding access to housing in New Hampshire and to discuss new ways for local and congressional partners to work together to tackle this crisis. The conversation included a discussion on the importance of federal housing programs for New Hampshire and the devastating impact a freeze on those resources would have on the state.
“Having a home is a cornerstone of the American Dream. One of my top priorities in Congress is making housing more affordable for hardworking Granite Staters,” said Representative Goodlander. “It was wonderful to hear directly from leaders and innovators from across New Hampshire about how we can make that dream a reality and work together to tackle the housing crisis head-on.”
“Affordable housing is the foundation of strong, thriving communities, and federal funding plays a critical role in making safe, stable housing accessible to families, seniors, and our workforce across New Hampshire,” said Nick Taylor, Director at Housing Action NH. “Every dollar invested in New Hampshire not only helps build homes but also strengthens local economies, creates jobs, and fosters healthier communities. Continued federal support is essential to addressing the housing shortage and ensuring that every Granite Stater has the opportunity to live with a roof over their head.”
“Federal support is essential to Keene Housing’s work, allowing us to develop innovative solutions that address the housing crisis and meet the needs of the people we serve,” said Josh Meehan, Executive Director at Keene Housing. “We are grateful for federal partners who recognize that investing in affordable housing strengthens our community, spurs economic growth, and creates lasting positive impacts for the working families, seniors, and disabled neighbors we serve.”
“The housing landscape in New Hampshire is incredibly challenging, resulting in the most expensive development costs we have ever experienced,” said Robert Tourigny, Executive Director, of NeighborWorks Southern NH. “It takes more resources than ever to produce affordable housing, and we are very proficient at leveraging both public and private funding to make it all happen. We can’t afford to lose any of the critical programs that support our work, in fact, we need an increased investment in New Hampshire to close this widening gap.”
“Federal funds are critical to our ability to develop more affordable housing in the NH Lakes Region and to operate our existing portfolio successfully,” said Carmen Lorentz, Executive Director of Lakes Region Community Developers. “We have just over 120 new units of affordable housing in our pipeline and we operate 367 units in our existing portfolio. All of our projects require the continued investment by the federal government in programs such as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, Community Development Block Grant, HOME, Housing Trust Fund, Housing Choice Voucher, Project-based Rental Assistance, and Housing Choice Vouchers.”
Representative Goodlander was joined by Katy Easterly Martey, Executive Director, CDFA; Nick Taylor, Director, Housing Action NH; Robert Tourigny, Executive Director, NeighborWorks Southern NH; Jack Ruderman, Energy and Legislative Affairs Advisor, NH Housing; Carmen Lorentz, Executive Director, Lakes Region Community Developers; Abby Bronson, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Community Loan Fund; Katie McQuaid, VP of External Relations, Community Loan Fund; Rosanne Haggerty, President, Community Solutions; and Ryan Fecteau, Senior Officer of Planning and Partnerships at Avesta.
