Gov. Chris Sununu, along with state and local officials, a bipartisan group of young legislators, and housing activists, released a comprehensive plan to address New Hampshire’s housing shortage.
Gov. Chris Sununu
“This past summer I assembled a housing task force to develop recommendations to address our shortage, which has risen to crisis levels,” Sununu said. “Today, I am proud to say that as a result of the work of the task force, my office, and a bipartisan group of young legislators, we are releasing the most comprehensive plan on housing that this State has ever seen. I look forward to a productive conversation with the legislature and all interested stakeholders, and to working together to pass a plan that will be a win for our workforce, our communities, and our entire state.”
Earlier this summer, Sununu established a task force to develop recommendations to address New Hampshire’s housing crisis. The group consisted of state and local officials, and industry experts: Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell; Dean Christon, executive director of New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority; Ben Frost, policy and public affairs director of the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority; Noah Hodgetts, assistant planner at Office of Strategic Initiatives; Portsmouth City Councilor Rebecca Perkins; Matt Sullivan, director of Planning and Community Development in Wolfeboro, and Mike Claflin, workforce housing developer.
BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell
“Housing and economic development must go hand in hand,” Caswell said. “If we are going to continue our success in attracting a younger workforce to New Hampshire, we must have a much broader spectrum of housing for people at all stages in life. Enactment of these proposals will put us light years ahead of where we are right now in addressing this crisis.”
There is a critical housing shortage in New Hampshire. As of the summer of 2019, the vacancy rate for two bedroom apartments fell below 1 percent in all but one New Hampshire county. The inventory of homes for sale is near record lows.
The housing plan can be viewed hereand a set of FAQs for the plan can be viewed here.
The legislative piece of the plan includes two bills. The first one focuses on enhancing local control and improving predictability of the development process, and the second focuses on accelerating investment in housing.
The prime sponsor of the first bill is Rep. Willis Griffith (D-Manchester), chairman of the Young Democrats Caucus. The prime sponsor of the second bill is Rep. Joe Alexander (R-Goffstown). Griffith and Alexander, together with Rep. Tom Loughman (D-Hampton) and Rep. Gates Lucas (R-Sunapee), worked with the housing task force crafting legislation to implement the plan issued today (10/30/19) .
“This plan is a strong step forward in addressing the housing crisis in New Hampshire and is a result of bipartisan collaboration with housing experts,” Griffith said. “This package of bills will be the beginning of a thoughtful discussion in which I invite all stakeholders, community members, and legislators to participate. I am confident that, together, we will make meaningful progress on one of the most significant issues facing our state.”
Alexander said the bills represent months of research and discussion by stakeholders and policy leaders.
“We are in a position to pass legislation that will solve one of the greatest problems facing New Hampshire,” he said. “I look forward to a robust and comprehensive conversation around the crisis of affordable housing in New Hampshire and welcome any and all feedback from policy leaders, stakeholders, and the public.”
Final text of the bills will be available 11/1/19, after final sign off for House bills.
As summer winds down, New Hampshire tourism officials say they expect a robust fall travel season, with more than 3 million out-of-state, overnight visitors projected, who will spend more than $1.5 billion.
During an event this week at Hazelton Orchards in Chester, the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development unveiled its fall marketing campaign, which highlights activities such as hiking, leaf peeping, agritourism, dining and shopping.
“New Hampshire is the premier travel destination in the northeast all year round, but the vibrant colors of our tremendous foliage truly sets us apart during the fall travel season, drawing millions of people to all corners of the Granite State,” said Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “The fall travel season is an incredible economic driver for our state and we are constantly working to maximize and expand visitation for the benefit of our partners and the people of New Hampshire.”
Gov. Chris Sununu, joined by Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell, left, and Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food Commissioner Shawn Jasper, kicked off what is expected to be a busy fall tourism season by picking the ceremonial first apple of autumn at Hazelton Orchards in Chester.
Representing about 25 percent total annual visitation, fall is New Hampshire’s second-largest travel season, behind summer.
Foliage, scenic drives
and pick-your-own options dominate the fall season but historically fall is
also popular for visiting attractions, college homecomings, fairs and
festivals, shopping, and visiting friends and relatives. In addition, fall
tends to draw the largest percentage of visitors from outside New England.
Visitors to New Hampshire this fall can experience fall activities and events including:
Stay connected with New
Hampshire tourism on Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
Pinterest
and
YouTube, and be sure to follow the #livefreeNH tag to see
what other people are saying about fall in New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, the City of Manchester, and the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority are pleased to announce expansion plans by one of New Hampshire’s largest employers and leader in its aerospace and defense industry.
BAE Systems is finalizing plans to occupy 3000 Goffs Falls Rd. to expand its operations. The 220,000-sf site, located off Brown Avenue, with close access to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Interstates 93 and 293, will enable the company to attract the talent it needs to initially fill 400 high-paying positions. The Manchester Mayor and Board of Aldermen will consider details on the proposed expansion.
“This is a great example of how working quickly and creatively with the business community can yield impressive results,” said Gov. Chris Sununu. “No income or sales tax, great schools, incredible natural beauty, ease of access to urban centers and a vibrant and dynamic workforce all contribute to there really being no better place to live, work and raise a family. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to meet the needs BAE Systems expansion efforts and bring more job opportunities to Granite Staters.”
Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said a collaborative effort with BAE Systems, the City of Manchester and the Business Finance Authority supported the needs of the company in making the decision to expand.
“There is no way we would have reached this point without deep collaboration among teams from our department, the City of Manchester, and the NH Business Finance Authority,” said Caswell. “Our ability to work as a team to help employers meet expansion or relocation goals is critical to what we offer as a state.”
The City of Manchester will continue its support of BAE Systems’ expansion, said Mayor Joyce Craig.
“I’m thrilled BAE Systems has chosen to expand here in Manchester,” she said. “Manchester is the economic hub for the state. This is the first time the City of Manchester, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs and the Business Finance Authority have worked together to bring new, good paying jobs into the Queen City. We now have a successful model, and I look forward to continue promoting Manchester’s pro-business environment.”
The New Hampshire Business Finance Authority understands the significance of BAE Systems to the state’s growing aerospace and defense industry, said Executive Director James Key Wallace.
“This partnership with BAE provides an exciting opportunity for Manchester and all of the communities supported by BAE’s significant presence in the state. Our innovative and collaborative approach to structuring this expansion shows that New Hampshire is able to attract world class companies who create high quality jobs,” he said.
Commissioner Taylor Caswell’s statement on the South Dakota v. Wayfair decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The Wayfair decision handed down today by the United States Supreme Court tells New Hampshire businesses that they now must collect taxes for politicians in other states that they did not elect. This is unacceptable.
“New Hampshire businesses have never, ever, collected a sales tax and New Hampshire residents have never, ever, paid an income tax. Imposing this new requirement on us isn’t just an administrative burden, it goes against what New Hampshire stands for: Live Free or Die.
“The thousands of small businesses that drive our economy must not be forced to become tax collectors for other states. I am working with state leaders to determine a path forward aimed at defending New Hampshire’s business community from this modern-day taxation without representation scheme.”
Taylor Caswell
Commissioner
NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs
Last year, Governor Sununu proposed the division of the Department of Resources and Economic Development, creating the Department of Business and Economic Affairs. Since its approval by the Legislature, this new agency has been a catalyst for increasing opportunities for New Hampshire to modernize and vastly improve the focus and practice of how we do economic development.
This couldn’t have happened at a better time. The practice of economic development has changed drastically over the past decade. States and cities are moving away from the longstanding focus on government-run business recruitment and standard worker ‘unemployment training’ programs that gave little thought to what might come next for those workers.
What does this mean for New Hampshire?
It means we can hone in on the needs of our businesses here first, and leverage our business community with our state’s regional strengths to develop a compelling case for new businesses to come here.
It means we build new, more innovative strategies to recruit talent to our state.
It means connecting education and training directly to employers and jobs.
It means a new, more aggressive entry into the global marketplace to find opportunity for our small businesses seeking new markets.
It means refreshed, meaningful relationships with our state’s incredible network of public and private academic institutions, linking them with state policymakers and business leaders statewide.
It means working to update and increase the predictability of the state’s regulatory environment and use our small and agile government as a true advantage.
It means constructing new partnerships and collaborations across a broad universe of stakeholders to focus on building communities where people want to live and work and telling that story effectively and to as many people outside the state as we can.
New Hampshire’s economy is growing fast. Companies are expanding or moving here, and people are working. In fact, in 2017, New Hampshire’s economy was the second fastest growing economy in the nation and our unemployment rate remains low.
My goal is to build this new system and create an economy that is resilient, vibrant, collaborative, intentional, and protects what we love best about New Hampshire.
The new Department of Business and Economic Affairs has the tools it needs to get there. We have the widely-respected Division of Travel & Tourism Development, which has a marketing team that is among the best in the nation and stokes the engine of New Hampshire’s crucial hospitality economy. In 2017, its work helped generate 2.23 million visitor trips to New Hampshire, which yielded $5.5 billion in spending, maintaining 48,000 jobs, and generating $269 million in tax revenue for the state.
Our Division of Economic Development helps businesses connect to, and fund, job training; works with existing and new business leaders to finance and expand their economic footprint; guides companies seeking to access global markets or win government contracts, and helps drive our entrepreneurial economy. Its work has direct impact on the profitability of our state’s employers and creates value for the state and residents.
The combined teams are creating new stakeholder collaborations, integrating marketing efforts and strategies, and working hard to establish New Hampshire as a leader in holistic, collaborative state economic development.
I look forward to working with you.
Taylor Caswell
Commissioner
New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs
Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell
When Governor Sununu signed SB 564 into law last week, he set New Hampshire on course to becoming the global hub for regenerative manufacturing.
The science behind creating new tissue and organs, and manufacturing them commercially, may sound like something from the 22nd century, but that technology is already happening at the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute in the Manchester Millyard.
The potential impact on New Hampshire economy, the healthcare industry, and people’s lives across the planet is nothing short of colossal.
Scientists, visionaries and legislators came together in Manchester this week for the signing of this bill because it is that important to our 21st century economy. This new law exempts for 10 years qualified companies locating their regenerative manufacturing business in New Hampshire from state corporate taxes. It also establishes a $5 million student loan forgiveness program for those people who come here to work in and grow this amazing industry. After five years, the state will pay for their student loans.
These are significant new tools that truly illustrate that New Hampshire is open for business. This legislation will help us recruit to our state, and retain, both businesses and the skilled workforce they need to grow and further evolve this science.
I can’t think of a more appropriate place for regenerative manufacturing to start changing the world than Manchester’s Millyard. A century ago, these very same buildings housed the largest and most technologically advanced textile mills on the planet. And now, here in 2018, these mills are on the precipice of once again being a globally critical manufacturing hub.
We’ve been here before. We can do it again.
Taylor Caswell
Commissioner
NH Business and Economic Affairs
The old adage says that “a rising tide floats all boats.”
In the City of Franklin, it is more apt to say “whitewater floats a new economy.”
This week, community members gathered alongside the Winnipesaukee River downtown to celebrate a project described as “transformative” for this former mill city, as two significant grants push the Mill City Park closer to reality.
The project received a $180,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and Franklin Savings Bank is donating $250,000.
There are about 280 whitewater parks across the country, but this one will be the first in New England. More than that, says developer Marty Parichand, it is a catalyst that for boosting the city’s economy, generating $6.8 million of direct spending in the region.
The river runs through the heart of downtown, which once fed mills turning out wool cloth, hacksaws and hosiery. Thrill seekers will head to the city to run the Class II, III and IV whitewater and entrepreneurs can catch the wave of the new economy on the rise.
Projects like Mill City Park, Commissioner Taylor Caswell, of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, told those gathered in Trestle View Park, will draw more than visitors; it will draw visitors who turn into residents, drawn by the lifestyle and the opportunities in the Granite State.
“One of the biggest things for me is to be able to emphasize the fact that in New Hampshire, we have a community; we have recreation and we have quality of life for everybody,” he said. “In the big picture, it is absolutely crucial what you’re doing, not just for your community, but for the state as a whole, because that is what we are doing every day — telling the story of New Hampshire; telling the story of the quality of life and telling everyone how great it is here. This is one more piece we can put in our toolbox.”
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
NH Division of Economic Development
