New Hampshire Housing 2017 QAP Forum

If you haven’t done so already, please Register today!  On January 25, 2016 from 1:30-3:30 New Hampshire Housing will have a public forum at the New Hampshire Audubon facility at 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, New Hampshire.

In order to encourage discussion on a range of topics, this public forum will be conducted as a series of small discussion groups, with each group discussing the questions listed below for approximately 15 minutes per question. After each group has had a chance to discuss each question, there will be a “report-out” during which the larger group will convene and share thoughts from their discussion. Please come equipped to discuss these questions.

  1. New Hampshire Housing wants the housing it finances to be flexible and accessible by individuals from a range of ages and physical ability levels. How can we encourage design that is more universal in a way that is effective and cost efficient?
  2. How do we find the balance between preservation of existing affordable housing and creation of new affordable housing?
  3. To what extent should NH Housing encourage energy efficiency in LIHTC projects? What are the most effective ways to do that?
  4. New Hampshire Housing is considering doing away with the senior set-aside for the 2017 QAP. Do you have any concerns about the existing scoring categories that could unintentionally cause senior projects to have a major advantage or disadvantage relative to non-age-restricted?
  5.  Nationally, there is a debate about the relative weight that should be given to siting affordable housing in “high-opportunity*” areas vs. in areas that are generally less wealthy and have suffered from a lack of investment.
  • Do you have an opinion on which priority should be weighted more heavily in NH?
  • What NH-specific factors should influence our decisions on this topic?
  • How should we implement those priorities?

* “High Opportunity Areas” are generally defined as communities with good access to jobs, quality schools, and other economic and social benefits.