New Hampshire’s housing crisis has made it increasingly difficult for working families, seniors, and young people to find attainable homes. Young Granite Staters, in particular, who have lived here for their entire lives, are too often moving out of New Hampshire in search of a home they can afford to start their families. Fortunately, Gov. Kelly Ayotte has made solving this crisis a top priority — and she’s delivering results.
Gov. Ayotte has made it clear that she is committed to making housing more attainable for Granite Staters. When Gov. Ayotte was elected, she met with the New Hampshire Home Builders Association (NHHBA). She sat with us with a pen and pad of paper and said, “Let’s get to work.”
She wanted to know where all the pressure points were and points of delay in the permitting approval processes. Since then, Gov. Ayotte has been a tireless advocate for common-sense reforms that reduce costs, remove barriers to development, and improve the ability of builders to meet New Hampshire’s housing needs.
One of the most important priorities for the NHHBA is passing ‘One State, One Code’ legislation. Not having a common building standard across the entire state creates a patchwork of regulations that add unnecessary costs and create confusion for builders and home buyers. By standardizing building codes statewide, we can ensure consistency, transparency, lower costs for everyone, and make it easier for tradespeople like plumbers and electricians to work in every town.
The NHHBA has been clear when it comes to the 2021 IECC Energy Codes – these are a set of costly mandates we consider a “Green Energy Tax” on housing. These energy codes would significantly increase construction costs, making it even harder for families to afford a home.
The NHHBA has also worked to update New Hampshire’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) statutes. ADUs are a practical solution that provide additional housing options for seniors, caregivers, and multigenerational families. By simplifying the approval process, more homeowners will be able to build these units — helping to expand housing options without large-scale development.
Equally important, Gov. Ayotte has prioritized improving the permitting process for everything from driveway permits to environmental approvals. Unnecessary delays drive up costs and slow down projects that could provide much-needed housing. By streamlining these approvals, Gov. Ayotte has made it easier for developers to move projects forward faster, ultimately improving affordability for families across the state.
The governor’s leadership has been critical in pushing these common-sense reforms forward. Her focus on cutting red tape, promoting consistency in building standards, and reducing costs has already had a positive impact.
The NHHBA is proud to stand with Gov. Ayotte in her efforts to make housing more attainable for all Granite Staters. Too many of our police, firefighters, nurses, and teachers who make our towns a community can’t afford to live in the towns they serve – that’s wrong. We encourage lawmakers to continue to prioritize these important reforms. By working together, we will build a stronger New Hampshire where everyone has access to the American Dream of home ownership.
