Lincoln Avenue townhouses — an excellent housing type that would require a zoning variance to build today.
Why it matters
Portsmouth's zoning rules make it illegal to build the housing we already have.
The city's existing zoning restricts the kinds of homes that made Portsmouth a great place to live. Enabling more homes of all types — and modernizing the rules that prevent them — is the central challenge of the Housing Action Plan.
For homeowners & developers
Opportunities worth exploring
Practical guides to what's possible in Portsmouth today
Homeowners
Room on your lot? Add an ADU.
Permitted by right in all single-family zones — no variance needed. We condensed 40 pages of city rules to one.
Read the guide →
Developers
Explore co-living projects
Allowed in downtown, gateway, and character districts — an innovative model for residents who want less space and more community.
Read the primer →
Our partners
