New Hampshire HB 1764: establishing community workforce housing targets, special assessment provisions, and a revolving loan fund for workforce housing development.

Bill Text

HB 1764-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-3059

 06/07

HOUSE BILL 1764-FN

AN ACT establishing community workforce housing targets, special assessment provisions, and a revolving loan fund for workforce housing development.

SPONSORS: Rep. de Vries, Rock. 29

COMMITTEE: Housing

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ANALYSIS

 This bill establishes municipal workforce housing targets, reporting requirements, zoning review procedures, and a special property tax assessment for underperformance, with proceeds funding a revolving loan program for housing development and infrastructure.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-3059

 06/07

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT establishing community workforce housing targets, special assessment provisions, and a revolving loan fund for workforce housing development.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 New Subdivision; Municipal Workforce Housing Targets. Amend RSA 12-O by inserting after section 70 the following new subdivision: 

Municipal Workforce Housing Targets

 12-O:70-a Municipal Workforce Housing Targets. 

 I. The department of business and economic affairs, in partnership with regional planning commissions, shall establish annual workforce housing targets for each municipality for the next 10 years. In this subdivision, "municipality" means any city, town, unincorporated town or unorganized place. 

 II. Targets shall be based on: 

 (a) Amount of developable and redevelopable land;

 (b) Access to water, infrastructure, and public transportation;

 (c) Proximity to employment centers; and

 (d) Existing workforce housing stock, as defined in RSA 674:58, IV. 

 III. Municipalities with less workforce housing shall be assigned proportionally higher targets. 

 IV. The cumulative statewide housing targets shall equal 125 percent of the state’s projected annual workforce housing need, with an assumed 25 percent overage to account for underperformance. 

 12-O:70-b Annual Reporting. The department of business and economic affairs shall publish an annual report listing the total number of new, or in progress where construction has officially commenced, or both, workforce housing units in each municipality and the percentage of each municipality’s annual target achieved. 

 12-O:70-c Zoning Review Requirement. 

 I. Beginning January 1, 2028, any municipality that has achieved less than 50 percent of its cumulative workforce housing target shall: 

 (a) Partner with the department of business and economic affairs and its regional planning commission to conduct a comprehensive review of its zoning ordinances;

 (b) Identify impediments to workforce housing development; and

 (c) Develop an actionable plan to improve workforce housing outcomes. 

 II. Municipalities shall retain discretion over whether to implement recommended changes.

 12-O:70-d Special Assessments for Underperformance. 

 I. Beginning in 2028, any municipality that falls below 50 percent of their cumulative workforce housing targets shall be subject to a special property tax assessment. 

 II. The special property tax assessment for properties assessed above the following thresholds shall be calculated as follows: 

 (a) For property assessed at $1,500,000, apply a rate of $1 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value;

 (b) For property assessed at $2,000,000, apply a rate of $1.50 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value;

 (c) For property assessed at $2,500,000, apply a rate of $2 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value;

 (d) For property assessed at $3,000,000, apply a rate of $2.50 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value; and

 (e) For property assessed at $3,500,000 and above, apply a rate of $3 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value.

 III. The special property tax assessment shall remain in effect until the municipality reaches: 

 (a) 75 percent of its cumulative target (first year below threshold);

 (b) 85 percent (second year); and

 (c) 90 percent (third year or beyond).

 IV. Municipalities shall collect and remit assessment proceeds to the state immediately. 

 12-O:70-e Workforce Housing Revolving Loan Fund. 

 I. The department shall establish and manage a special revolving loan fund, separate from the general fund, using proceeds from the special tax assessments under RSA 12-O:70-d. 

 II. The fund shall offer below-market-rate loans to developers of multi-family, year-round workforce housing and municipalities for infrastructure upgrades tied to shovel-ready workforce housing projects. 

 III. Loan prioritiza