During a town‑hall style interview with WMUR, Senate hopeful Kelly Ayotte placed housing affordability at the forefront of her agenda for New Hampshire. “I think housing is the No. 1 economic challenge facing the state,” she said, emphasizing that the issue affects families of all ages and income levels.
Recent legislative actions
Ayotte cited two bills passed in the latest legislative session that aim to increase the supply of affordable homes. The first law expands the use of accessory dwelling units, allowing families to keep multigenerational households together while adding rental units to existing properties. The second measure, approved in July, permits owners of vacant commercial buildings to convert the space into multi‑family residential units, turning underused storefronts into homes for New Hampshire residents.
State‑local cooperation
Recognizing that housing solutions require coordination, Ayotte explained that the state has reformed its permitting system to reduce delays that previously stalled local projects. “If the state doesn’t show good behavior, it’s hard to get local communities to show good behavior,” she warned, urging both levels of government to work together.
Exploring state‑owned land for affordable units
The governor’s administration is studying the possibility of leasing state‑owned land exclusively for affordable housing. Ayotte said a task force that includes the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority and other partners is evaluating the option, describing it as a “new tool” to address the shortage.
Funding mechanisms
Ayotte also highlighted budgetary steps that support affordable housing. The Executive Council recently redirected surplus funds from the state budget to the Affordable Housing Fund, and the $5 million annual revenue from the real‑estate transfer tax continues to be earmarked for the same purpose. “I’m looking forward to, in this budget, supporting that fund even more,” she said.
Partnerships and long‑term goals
Beyond legislation, Ayotte stressed the importance of partnerships among state, federal, and private actors. She framed affordable housing as essential to retaining young people and enabling families to age in place across the state. “We want to keep our young people here; we want everyone here to age gracefully at every level, so we need all that housing,” she affirmed.
Other topics addressed
The conversation also touched on affordable energy, funding for substance‑abuse treatment, and immigration enforcement, but housing remained the central theme of Ayotte’s remarks.
Ayotte’s focus on housing aligns with broader concerns among New Hampshire voters, who have repeatedly identified cost‑of‑living pressures as a top priority in recent polls. By highlighting concrete legislative achievements and proposing new avenues for state‑level action, she aims to position herself as a pragmatic problem‑solver for the state’s housing crisis.
Original reporting: WMUR (Hearst) – local news — read the source article.
