HB 368-FN-LOCAL – AS INTRODUCED
2011 SESSION
06/10
HOUSE BILL 368-FN-LOCAL
AN ACT relative to workforce housing and the definition of community.
SPONSORS: Rep. Flanagan, Hills 5; Rep. Drisko, Hills 5
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
This bill permits municipalities to decide whether to approve workforce housing and defines “community.”
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11-0353
06/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to workforce housing and the definition of community.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Workforce Housing; Approval of Municipality Required. Amend RSA 674 by inserting after section 57 under subdivision title Workforce Housing, the following new section:
674:57-a Municipal Approval Required. The provisions of RSA 674:59 through 674:61 shall take effect in any municipality only upon the approval of the legislative body of such municipality as follows:
I. The chair of the local planning board shall, prior to a vote at a regular or special meeting of the legislative body, explain to such body all aspects of workforce housing under this chapter, including provisions, requirements, and limitations. The question of whether workforce housing shall be approved for the municipality shall be decided by a majority vote of those present and voting at such meeting.
II. In towns that have adopted the official ballot form of government under RSA 40:13, the chair of the local planning board shall, at the deliberative session, explain all aspects of workforce housing under this chapter, including provisions, requirements, and limitations. At the second session of the annual meeting, the question of whether workforce housing shall be approved for the municipality shall be decided by a 2/3 majority vote of those present and voting at such meeting.
2 New Section; Words and Phrases Defined; Community. Amend RSA 672 by inserting after section 3 the following new section:
672:3-a Community. “Community” means the area within the boundaries of any municipality.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
11-0353
Revised 01/27/11
HB 368 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to workforce housing and the definition of community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill may decrease local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county and local revenues or state and county expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill amends the requirement that municipalities comply with the provisions of RSA 674:59-61 relative to workforce housing, to make a municipality’s compliance with the statute optional. The Association notes that some municipalities have hired consultants to assist them in complying with the statute and to the extent that these consultant services may no longer be required, local expenditures may decrease.
The Office of Energy and Planning states the proposed legislation would not expand the Office’s existing responsibilities within the Municipal and Regional Planning Assistance program and therefore would have no fiscal impact on state revenues or state expenditures.