Co-living arrives in town!

CO-LIVING ARRIVES IN PORTSMOUTH
ALLOWED BEYOND DOWNTOWN: THANK YOUR ADVOCATES

Dear Portsmouth resident,

Welcome to our new subscribers! Monday, May 5 the Council votes on the second hearing of the draft ordinance for "co-living" (quick summary here) It's looking good but please add your voice or message. A quick public comment via Zoom or a short email with support is all that's needed to nudge it across the finish line.

UPCOMING MEETINGS: SPEAK UP/WRITE IN

👍 City Council Meeting May 5, 7pm City Hall

Second reading of the co-living ordinance. Agenda, meeting packet. Email your support, register for Zoom.

👍 Housing Committee May 8, 5:30-7pm School Board Meeting Room

Agenda, meeting packet. Planning Dept has identified key barriers to zoning -- discussion. Email your support, register for Zoom.

CO-LIVING: FOR THOSE NEEDING LITTLE SPACE TO CALL HOME

The co-living concept can unlock a lot of housing for people who are happy to live in a small space and share common facilities — typically young service workers, people in the area on short contracts, and residents in transition during life changes. We hope the City nows spreads the word about this opportunity to potential builders/developers.

Portsmouth_CoLiving_Landscape_Redesigned

PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING: UPDATE

Sherburne School (moving ahead, federal funding now a bit shaky)

Christ Episcopal Church (litigation resolved, project moving ahead)

Service Credit Union (check out the concept design)

Really good news! Kudos to Service Credit Union for committing to build a two-phase total of 240 housing units, including 210 permanently affordable homes for households making $80,000 a year or less.

A PIPELINE LIGHT ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

▢ Increasing need for rentals (would-be homeowners priced out)

▢ By 2030, Portsmouth will have unment demand for 2,897 rentals

▢ 15 permanently affordable rentals and 19 homes nearing completion

▢ Only 178 permanently affordable homes in permitting process

▢ Further 290 permanently affordable units in the concept stage

▢ 82 market-rate co-living (affordable) units for service workers

▢ 1,115 high-end and luxury rentals permitted or under construction

▢ High-end rentals require a minimum household income of $160,000

ROCKINGHAM NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU

Take a couple of minutes and let our Rockingham County Planners know your thoughts our regional priorities in this survey. You can use an interactive map to comment on development. [Thanks to Councilor Elizabeth Moreau for her tireless and largely unrecognized work for Rockingham County]

CITY CREATES HOUSING TRUST FUND

"April 22, 2025

The Portsmouth NH City Council has voted to accept the recommendations of the Housing Blue Ribbon Committee and the City Trustees of Trust Funds to establish a Below Market Rate Housing Trust Fund. The Trust will support the City Council’s goal to enhance the supply of housing choices, specifically the supply of below market rate housing options and will be overseen by the Trustees of the Trust Funds."

HOUSING ADVOCATE SHOUT OUT

Meet Ben VanCamp. Ben is the Chief Collaborator & President of The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth. Not surprisingly, the housing crisis affects businesses too. For example, restaurants and retailers would prefer to hire workers who live nearby and might not need to park vehicles. An avid and enthusiastic advocate for workforce housing, Ben connects housing with the business community. Thanks, Ben!

IN THE NEWS

Seacoastonline (subscription required)

Mayor Matt Gerdin of Somersworth on housing

Housing for Domo Restaurant staff

40-48 Market Rate Homes on Hanover Street

Christ Episcopal Church Workforce Housing settles litigation

Manchester Inklink

New Housing Legislation from Concord

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; $35 buys a weeklong Facebook ad. If you can help us with that, thank you.

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