Portsmouth Housing Meetings Tracker

City Council

Planning Board

Zoning/BOA

Housing Related

Other Boards

✅ Housing Action Plan Implementation Now Underway

Council voted 9–0 on Feb 17 to direct City staff to produce a Housing Action Plan by July 2026, including two required public hearings. A Housing Navigator has been hired. Watch for public hearing announcements — that is when the plan's content gets decided.

📊 FY27 Budget — City Manager's Proposal Expected April

The City Manager's proposed budget is expected in April. Budget work sessions confirmed: May 11 (General Fund), May 13 (Enterprise/Special Revenue), May 18 (Public Hearing). The Housing Navigator position funding is the key item to track.

📅 Thursday, March 26, 2026

7:00

Planning Board

📍 Council Chambers, 1 Junkins Avenue

Agenda Pending Watch: HAP + Master Plan

Key board to watch as both Housing Action Plan implementation and Master Plan Phase 3 move forward simultaneously. The Planning Department is coordinating both processes — watch for signals about how the two are being integrated and whether Housing Action Plan production targets are being embedded in the Master Plan.

📄 Planning Dept Schedule ✉️ Written Comments

📅 Looking Ahead — April 2026

4/1

WED

Historic District Commission

📍 Council Chambers — 6:30 PM

Agenda Pending

4/6

MON

City Council Meeting

📍 Council Chambers — 7:00 PM

Agenda Pending

Watch: Housing Navigator onboarding update. Any Housing Action Plan process announcements. City Manager budget expected in April — watch for Navigator position funding.

4/7

TUE

Technical Advisory Committee

📍 Conference Room A — 2:00 PM

Agenda Pending

4/16

THU

Planning Board

📍 Council Chambers — 7:00 PM

Agenda Pending HAP + Master Plan

4/20

MON

City Council Meeting

📍 Council Chambers — 7:00 PM

Agenda Pending

4/21

TUE

Board of Adjustment

📍 Council Chambers — 7:00 PM

Agenda Pending

4/22

WED

Master Plan — Draft Plan Open House ⭐

📍 Community Campus, 100 Campus Drive — 6:00–8:00 PM

High Priority Confirmed

Major public input opportunity. Utile (Master Plan consultants) and City staff will present draft recommendations. Informal "science fair" style open house with large-format boards. Light food provided. Housing is a central topic. This is where housing priorities either get embedded in the Master Plan or don't.

📄 Master Plan Info

📅 Looking Ahead — May–July 2026

5/11

MON

City Council Budget Work Session — General Fund

📍 Council Chambers — 6:00 PM (with Public Comment)

FY27 Budget

General Government, Fire, Police, School Depts. Watch: Whether the Housing Navigator position appears in the General Government budget and at what funding level.

5/13

WED

Budget Work Session — Enterprise & Special Revenue Funds

📍 Council Chambers — 6:00 PM

FY27 Budget

Water/Sewer, Parking, Stormwater. Parking fund is relevant to housing — parking reform reduces per-unit housing costs.

5/18
MON
City Council — Opening of Budget Public Hearing
📍 Council Chambers — 7:00 PM

                        Budget Public Hearing
                    

                        Public comment opportunity on the FY27 budget. If the Housing Navigator position is underfunded or omitted, this is the formal public comment window.
                    

TBD

SPR

Housing Action Plan Public Input Hearings (2 required)

📍 To be announced by Planning Department

High Priority

The Feb 17 resolution requires at least two public hearings before the Housing Action Plan is finalized. Dates not yet announced. These are the primary opportunities for the public to shape what the plan contains.

JUL

2026

Housing Action Plan Completion Deadline

📍 City Council

Deadline

Council resolution sets July 2026 as the target. Master Plan Phase 3 (Developing the Plan) runs March–August — both processes run simultaneously. How they coordinate will determine what housing production commitments end up in each document.

▾ Key Completed This Period ▾

📅 Monday, March 16, 2026 — Completed ⭐

6:00

City Council Work Session — RSA 79-E + Public Hearing

📍 Council Chambers

Completed RSA 79-E Tax Exemptions

RSA 79-E Work Session: NH Housing's Sarah Wrightsman presented on Community Revitalization Tax Relief options — traditional 79-E, Residential Property Revitalization Zones, Office Conversion Zones, and Housing Opportunity Zones. Informational session; no Council action taken. Planning Director Peter Britz presented examples from other communities.

Also on agenda: Public hearing on elderly and disabled tax exemption income limit adjustments (Social Security COLA vs. CPI-U options), veterans tax credit updates.

📄 View Actions 📺 Recording

📅 Tuesday, March 17, 2026 — Completed

7:00

Board of Adjustment

📍 Council Chambers

Completed

📅 Wednesday, March 11, 2026 — Completed

2:00

Portsmouth Housing Authority Board of Commissioners

📍 Margeson Apartments, 245 Middle Street

Completed Housing

📅 Monday, February 17, 2026 — Completed ⭐

7:00

City Council — 9–0 Housing Action Plan Vote + Zoning Ordinances

📍 Council Chambers

Completed 9–0 HAP Vote ADU Ordinance Parking Reform

Housing Action Plan approved 9–0. Council directed City staff to create a Housing Action Plan by July 2026 with two required public hearings, and to hire a Housing Navigator.

Also approved: ADU Ordinance (by right in all single-family zones; 750 sq ft min; internal door requirement removed), Off-Street Parking reform (CUPs eliminated), Solar Energy Systems ordinance.

📄 View Actions 📺 Recording