New survey shows growing support for more affordable housing in New Hampshire
By Alanna Flood, Adam Sexton
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MANCHESTER, N.H. (WMUR) — News 9 got an exclusive first look at a new survey that shows Granite Staters want to see more action on the issue of affordable housing.
According to the latest annual statewide Survey on Voter Attitudes on Affordable Housing, 78% of New Hampshire voters think their communities need more affordable housing.
“You really see this across party lines, across demographics, across every region of New Hampshire. In fact, some might say it’s the most unifying issue of our time,” said Elissa Margolin, with the Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice.
The survey also shows that 68% of voters support allowing people to convert large, single-family houses into up to four apartments. The survey was released on Wednesday morning by Saint Anselm College.
The average rent in New Hampshire right now is $2,100 per month, according to Zillow. Housing Action New Hampshire said full-time workers would need to earn at least $35 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment in New Hampshire.
“We are starting to see some relief, and we’ve made some progress, and that’s really exciting. But at the end of the day, we’re starting from one of the worst affordability metrics and environments we’ve ever seen, and so there’s a long way to go for policymakers local, state and federal, to solve this,” said Nick Taylor, with Housing Action New Hampshire.
The survey shows that the number of New Hampshire voters who believe there needs to be more affordable housing built in their towns has risen 15% over the last five years.
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