The Planning Board has recommended that the Town Manager accept the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission’s (SNHPC) proposal for a Workforce Housing Analysis.
“This is to look at what housing is there and all data as far as income levels in Londonderry and regionally. It’s an attempt to look at fair share,” Town Planner Cynthia May told the Board at its Wednesday, Feb. 4 meeting.
While a regional assessment is completed every five years, the analysis proposed would be a town-based housing needs assessment from the perspective of Londonderry, to reveal how the Town relates to the region in its compliance with the “fair share” requirement of the workforce housing statute.
Geographic Information System Manager John Vogl is providing information to the SNHPC to be used in completing the analysis.
At a cost of $13,790, the analysis would study and evaluate the Town’s progress in addressing the workforce housing requirements under state statute, as well as its proportionate share of the region’s workforce housing fair share distribution.
SNHPC Chief Planner Jack Munn was assigned as project manager, with Bruce C. Mayberry of BCM Planning in New Gloucester, Maine to serve as a consultant. Town Planning and Economic Development staff would assist by providing support to the SNHPC as needed, according to the proposal.
The cost of the analysis, which would be paid from the Planning Department’s budget, breaks down to $8,700 for SNHPC staff and $4,800 for BCM Planning.
May said they hope to see the analysis completed in the next three months.
According to the proposal, the analysis would comply with and use all the provisions and requirements of the workforce housing ordinance, including definitions and standards for “affordable,” “multi-family housing,” reasonable and realistic opportunities for the development of workforce housing,” and “workforce housing.”
The analysis would consist of a collective assessment of all available housing and income data, home purchase prices and rents, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) income limits and HUD Metropolitan Fair Market Area (HMFA) data available for the Town.
Based on the Town’s development patterns and future economic growth, the analysis would include a “Fair Share” analysis of what the Town’s regional workforce housing needs are and what role the Town is providing in addressing its share of housing relative to the region as a whole.
“Having an audit of the rental housing stock, that’s the key to all of this isn’t it?” asked member Ann Chiampa.
“The analysis would certainly provide pieces of information that will inform the community,” Town Planner Cynthia May said.