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SB 419-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2249
09/05
SENATE BILL
419-FN-A
AN ACT
relative to the housing champion designation and program and the affordable housing fund, and making appropriations therefor.
SPONSORS: Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Rep. Muns, Rock. 29; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Simpson, Rock. 33; Rep. Stavis, Graf. 13; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 11
COMMITTEE: Finance
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ANALYSIS
This bill:
I. Expands the qualifications to receive a housing champion designation to include the adoption of land use regulations and ordinances that promote child care near jobs with the building of child care centers closer to commercial areas.
II. Makes appropriations to the housing champion designation and grant program fund and the affordable housing fund.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2249
09/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
relative to the housing champion designation and program and the affordable housing fund, and making appropriations therefor.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Short Title. This act may be known and cited to as the "Afford Your Home Act".
2 Purpose and Findings. The general court hereby finds:
I. As elected officials, it is our duty to deliver on our constituents’ priorities. Housing has consistently been the number one issue, far and away the number one issue in each of the last 3 WMUR polls.
II. According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, New Hampshire is the twelfth most expensive state to rent housing. In order to afford a one-bedroom just at market rate, granite staters would need to make $27 per hour. This is nearly 4 times our state’s minimum wage, and nearly double the median wages for fast-food workers ($14.84), home health aides ($17.91), and retail salespeople ($17.34).
III. Vacancy rate is at a paltry 0.6 percent. Not only does this mean severely limited options, less stock also means higher rent for what little units are available.
3 New Subparagraph; New Hampshire Housing Champion Designation. Amend RSA 12-O:71, III by inserting after subparagraph (d) the following new subparagraph:
(e) Adoption of such land use regulations and ordinances that promote child care near jobs with the building of child care centers closer to commercial areas, which may include, but are not limited to, allowing the operation of a child care center by right on commercially zoned land as long as all requirements for such programs adopted in rules of the department of health and human services, He-C 4002, are met.
4 Appropriation; Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program Fund. The sum of $5,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, is hereby appropriated to the New Hampshire housing champion designation and grant program fund. The appropriation shall be nonlapsing. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
5 Appropriation; Affordable Housing Fund. The sum of $10,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, is hereby appropriated to the housing finance authority for deposit into the affordable housing fund, established by RSA 204-C:57, for the purpose of providing financing or state matching funds for affordable housing. The appropriation shall be nonlapsing. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
LBA
26-2249
10/21/25
SB 419-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT
relative to the housing champion designation and program and the affordable housing fund, and making appropriations therefor.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Estimated State Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Revenue Fund(s)
None
Expenditures*
$0
Indeterminable up to $15,000,000
$0
$0
Funding Source(s)
Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program Fund and Affordable Housing Fund
Appropriations*
$0
$15,000,000
$0
$0
Funding Source(s)
General Fund
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
County Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
County Expenditures
$0
$0
$0
$0
Local Revenue
$0
Indeterminable Increase
$0
$0
Local Expenditures
$0
Indeterminable Increase
$0
$0
METHODOLOGY:
This bill expands the New Hampshire Housing Champion Designation qualification to include the adoption of land use regulations and ordinances that promote child care near jobs with the building of child care centers closer to commercial areas. It provides a $5,000,000 nonlapsing General Fund appropriation to the Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program Fund for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Additionally, it provides a $10,000,000 nonlapsing General Fund appropriation to the Housing Finance Authority for the purpose of providing financing or state matching funds for affordable housing. Municipal revenue and expenditures will increase by an indeterminable amount to the extent they are recipients of any of these appropriated funds.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
None