Strategic Plan
The New Hampshire Council on Housing Stability was established in November 2020 with a charge to “create and implement a plan to create housing stability for all citizens of the State of New Hampshire.” The Council unanimously approved a three-year Strategic Plan to promote housing stability and tackle homelessness for residents of the Granite State in June 2021. It is New Hampshire’s first comprehensive strategy to address all aspects of housing and homelessness.
The Strategic Plan outlines short- and long-term recommendations to support planning, policy and resource allocation for statewide, regional and local community-based efforts. The Council and its workgroups brought together a diverse cross-sector of partners and perspectives from across New Hampshire to develop goals, objectives, and strategies for implementation.
The Council set the following as its North Star to guide the planning and implementation of this work:
Homelessness is rare, brief and one-time.
Increased housing availability is critical for New Hampshire’s future – increase housing units by 13,500 by 2024.
The Council developed the following objectives to achieve and measure the North Star goals.
Promote increased housing stability at the state and local levels by improving crisis response, services infrastructure and policies that support individuals and families to maintain housing in their community.
Remove regulatory barriers to affordable housing in order to expand New Hampshire’s housing market for all persons with special emphasis on affordable, accessible options and using innovative approaches.
Increase production of publicly-financed affordable housing with supportive services.
Deploy targeted financial incentives or tax off-sets designed to promote private-market housing production and use of existing structures for rental housing that is affordable to the lowest incomes and households in need of on-going community support.
Achieve a productive legislative strategy for the 2022 session that supports efforts to increase housing production.
Integrate and coordinate a housing stability governance structure connecting state government with local communities through needs assessments, strategic initiatives, and data-driven decision-making.
The Council also developed a three-year strategic plan to specifically address homelessness in New Hampshire. These objectives and strategies aim to make homelessness rare, brief and one-time in New Hampshire.
Improve housing stability focused on those at risk of homelessness.
Invest in a range of housing options to increase the number of people leaving homelessness to stable housing.
Create a coordinated and person-centered response system.
Today, New Hampshire is working more collaboratively than ever before to address housing needs. We must continue to collaborate to meet the goals, objectives and strategies outlined in the Strategic Plan and welcome your engagement on this critical topic for all New Hampshire residents and communities.