The bill establishes the "Partners in Housing" program under the housing champions fund, designed to assist municipalities, counties, and developers in constructing workforce housing on municipally or county-owned land. It prioritizes properties suitable for residential development and allows for expedited review and approval of qualifying housing projects. The bill also amends existing laws by changing the term "selectmen" to "select board," granting the select board the authority to manage town property, including the ability to rent or lease municipal property for up to five years without requiring further town votes. Additionally, it appropriates $150,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, to compile a publicly available list of suitable properties, with funding non-lapsing until June 30, 2027. New provisions introduced in the bill include rulemaking pursuant to RSA 541-A by December 1, 2026, program development and oversight, and processing and evaluating property submissions and funding applications. Participation in the program is voluntary for counties, meaning they will incur costs only if they choose to participate. The bill allows municipalities to identify town-owned properties managed by the select board as suitable for residential development, which will be included in a statewide list for funding prioritization. The New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) has indicated that the costs associated with creating and maintaining this list will be minimal, while the Department of Business and Economic Affairs will require additional funding to effectively manage the program.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41:11-a, 674:1, 12-O:55, 12-O:74, 674:43
As Amended by the House: 41:11-a, 674:1, 12-O:55, 674:43