HOUSING UPDATE #22 URGE THE PLANNING BOARD TO APPROVE CO-LIVING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: HOW ARE WE DOING?
The answer is so-so. Some wins, lots of gaps. We plan to keep track of new housing units and which specific needs they address. Using a version of the graphic below, we'll make it easy for you to chart progress.
Dear Portsmouth resident,
URGENT: AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR DOWNTOWN WORKERS
Young service workers don't need much to call home. Happy to live in small spaces, often happy to live without cars, they make up a large part of our downtown workforce. There's an innovative proposal to house 82+/- of them in a co-living project right on Congress Street. The Planning Board has to approve the necessary zoning change. Please support this project by attending the meeting (in person or Zoom). Send an email to the board and City Council, urging the City to modify the zoning.
Note: the Housing Committee plans to hold a work session soon. Date to be confirmed.
HOUSING ADVOCATE SHOUT OUT
Meet Portsmouth resident Patricia Recently has a lifetime of experience in housing. Before retiring, she spent the last three decades as Executive Director for York Housing Authority, York, Maine, where she oversaw 266 units of newly developed housing, using a variety of funding sources. She has a strong belief that all income levels should have the opportunity to have a safe warm place to be. She's lived in Portsmouth since 1976. Thanks, Patricia!
SPREAD THE WORD; WE NEED MORE ADVOCATES
Take one small step to advocate for affordable housing: forward this email to one person who shares your interest and might like to sign up for the newsletter.
In the coming weeks PROGRESS PORTSMOUTH will launch a resources page on our web site, where you find everything you need to know to advocate for housing in Portsmouth. Regardless of skills and available time, there's something for everyone who wants to lend a hand.
NEW MASTER PLAN PROCESS TO START SOON
Heads up! The City will soon announce the process for updating our Master Plan. The Master Plan represents our overall vision for the City and its future. Our Zoning Ordinance - all 355 pages of it - is the regulatory mechanism meant to make this happen. Currently, they are out of sync; our zoning often conflicts with our housing needs. This is a critical time for the future of housing. Jump-start your thinking here.
CONSIDER A SMALL DONATION
We run on 1,000+ volunteer hours a year. We reach out to Portsmouth residents via a very modest budget for social media ads and technology subscriptions; $35 buys a weeklong Facebook ad. If you can help us with that, thank you.
