Nashua
NEW HAMPSHIRE’S GATE CITY
NASHUA HOUSING STUDY
Board of Aldermen Discussion
October 2020
RKC, Prepared by
RKG Associates, Inc.
ASSOCIATES INC
GROWTH
The City is expected to continue to grow its
population and employment base. Today’s housing
stock will not accommodate this growth. How and
where does the City want to grow should be a key
consideration in the upcoming Master Plan.
AFFORDABILITY
Housing prices (sales and rents) are outpacing
what most Nashua residents can afford. This
means households having to pay more than they
should to live in the City. How does Nashua
preserve its existing affordable housing stock
while encouraging more to be built city-wide?
MINIMIZE DISPLACEMENT
Housing prices and incomes are rising rapidly in Nashua
creating immense pressure on the lowest income
households to keep up or move out. The displacement of
those households may result in less racial and economic
diversity in some neighborhoods and push those
households further from the jobs and services they depend
on. Making affordable housing available in more locations
across the City would provide more housing choice for the
City’s most vulnerable residents.
FIVE KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NASHUA & HOUSING
DOWNTOWN
Downtown Nashua offers tremendous opportunity
to add more housing, but also the greatest threats
for impacting lower-income residents. The City
must employ strategies that improve the quality of
the housing stock and encourage a mix of new
market rate and affordable housing to improve
quality life for all residents in the Downtown area.
Additional households in Downtown will also
provide more spending power which will benefit
local businesses too.
LEVERAGING RESOURCES
The City will need additional resources to address
the housing opportunities and challenges ahead.
Seeking partners who can help with housing issues
will add knowledge, capacity, and funding resources
to match the City’s current efforts. The City should
capitalize on strategic partnerships with non-profits,
housing agencies, banks, and employers.
ASSOCIATES INC
ISSUE & OPPORTUNITY AREA 1
ACCOMMODATING FUTURE GROWTH
ASSOCIATES INC
Population and Age
Total Population Change 1970-2030, City of Nashua
Source: NHGIS, ACS 2013, 2018, EMSI
40%
110,000
——— Nashua
100,000 30%
04.747 96,040
1
1
! I
90,000 ,
86,605 86,494 20%
' ! i I '
i I I
80,000 ! ! ! om
' 1 I I ! ' 1
! I 1 I 1 1 I
70,000 !
' 1 I 1 1 1 1 0%
1 ! I I I I 1 1
1 ! I I I I 1 1
I ! i I I 1 ! I
1 I I I I 1 ! 1
60,000 !
I I 1 1 I
55820 I i ! 10%
1 1 I I I 1
50,000 ! ! :
I 1 1 I I
! 20%
! ! ! !
40,000 : ' I : t : I 1 I
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2013 2018 2025 2030
* Population projections show the city could add another 8,000
residents by the year 2030
ASSOCIATES INC
Change in Population by Age 2013-2018
Source: ACS 2013, 2018
mNashua_ mHillsborough
22%
20%
65+ years
25%
15%
18to 24 years 25to34years 35to44 years 45to 54 years 55 to 64 years
9%
6%
4% 5%
-6%
-6%
8%
6 «2%
-9% °
-12%
Under 18
NASHUA IS A RAPIDLY AGING CITY.
Residents over the age of 55 increased 22%
Given that residents ages 35 to 54 decreased over that time period,
suggests some aging in place but also new residents ages 55+ are
moving to Nashua from elsewhere
The city has also seen a decline in the number of school age children
SPECIAL BOARD OF ALDERMEN
OCTOBER 27, 2020
6:30 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://usO2web.zoom.us/j/8 116856521 1 ?pwd=ZHFRZUJ5VVp0b083Q3BgSGZsL2IZQTO9
Meeting ID: 811 6856 5211 Passcode: 896485
Join by telephone: 1-929-205-6099 Meeting ID: 811 6856 5211 Passcode: 896485
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PRESIDENT LORI WILSHIRE CALLS ASSEMBLY TO ORDER
PRAYER OFFERED BY CITY CLERK SUSAN LOVERING
PLEDGE TO THE FLAG LED BY ALDERMAN JUNE M. CARON
ROLL CALL
COMMUNICATIONS
From: Lori Wilshire, President
Re: Calling a Special Meeting of the Board of Aldermen on October 27, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. to
discuss affordable housing
From: Sarah Marchant, Community Development Director
Re: Nashua Housing Study
PRESENTATION
Affordable Housing
ADJOURNMENT
Board of Aldermen
City of Nashua
229 Main Street Lori Wilshire
Nashua, NH 03061-2019 President, Board of Aldermen
(603) 589-3030
October 19, 2020
Susan K. Lovering, City Clerk
City of Nashua
229 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03061-2019
Dear Ms. Lovering:
Please be advised | am hereby calling a Special Meeting of the Board of Aldermen for Tuesday,
October 27, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. which will be held remotely relative to a presentation on affordable
housing.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Mahiie
Lori Wilshire
President
cc: Mayor Jim Donchess
Steven A. Bolton, Corporation Counsel
. Community Development
City of Nashua Planning and Zoning
. + ae Building Saf
Community Development Division Code tnforcement
City Hall, 229 Main Street, PO Box 2019 Ce eer ars amtission
Nashua, New Hampshire 03061-2019 Transportation
www. nashuanh.gov FAX
589-3095
583-3090
589-3080
589-3100
589-3085
589-3105
880-0100
589-3119
Date: October 21, 2020
To: Ald. Lori Wilshire, Board of Aldermen President
Jim Donchess, Mayor
cc: Board of Aldermen
From: Sarah Marchant, Community Development Director
Re: Nashua Housing Study
The Economic Development and Community Development Divisions have partnered with RKG
Associates Inc to complete a comprehensive Housing Study to better understand the dynamics in
Nashua and the surrounding region that impact housing supply and demand. The goal of this study was
to provide a data based sense of the housing market, an understanding of key housing factors and
provide a list of strategies for implementation. The presentation of this study will provide a summary of
key findings and discuss some of the recommended strategies for implementation.
As the City is embarking on the 2020 Master Plan this study provides a very solid background to have
meaningful conversations about housing, land use and zoning over the next nine months or so. These
conversations will specifically relate to many of the implementation strategies that will be presented. It
is important to remember the current housing situation was not created overnight, but based on many
years of policy decisions and market forces. The strategies to change course will take time and a
measured and thoughtful approach, with community support, to improve our community and housing
for all Nashua residents.
1| Page
NASHUA HOUSING STUDY
October 2020
DRAFT FOR REVIEW
RKC Prepared by
ASSOCIATES Nc. KG Associates, Inc.
NASHUA HOUSING STUDY
City of Nashua
Jim Donchess, Mayor
Board of Aldermen Members
Lori Wilshire, President
Michael B. O’Brien, Sr., Vice President
Shoshanna Kelly, At-Large
Brandon Michael Laws, At-Large
David C. Tencza, At-Large
Jan Schmidt, Ward 1
Richard A. Dowd, Ward 2
Patricia Klee, Ward 3
Thomas Lopez, Ward 4
Ernest A. Jette, Ward 5
Ben Clemons, Ward 6
Elizabeth Lu, Ward 6
June M. Caron, Ward 7
Skip Cleaver, Ward 8
Linda Harriott-Gathright, Ward 9
Thank you to City staff for your commitment to providing information and feedback
throughout the housing study process. A special thank you to all who took part in
interviews and provided us with the local knowledge needed to tailor a housing plan to the
City of Nashua. Your expertise and feedback will help shape the outcomes of this plan.
Nashua Housing Study - 2
Purpose of this Housing Plan
The City of Nashua’s Housing Plan is intended to provide a meaningful sense of the
housing market, an understanding of key housing issues, and provide a list of
strategies for implementation. The report should serve as a platform for making
calculated policy and programmatic decisions. The information in the report is
intended to offer community leaders and stakeholders a basis for formulating
community-specific housing priorities, policy alternatives, intervention strategies
including land use and zoning decisions, and allocation of City and other resources.
As a framework for evaluating housing needs and determining appropriate action
steps, this document is not meant to be a prescriptive list of to-do’s but rather a
flexible plan that can shift with changes in Nashua’s local marketplace. The actions
in this document also point to timeframes to help the City identify the most critical
steps it should take in the short-term and those that may be more appropriate as
partners and funding are secured.
Recognizing that market supply and demand will shift with time and as the City
begins to act on the recommendations, it is important to track progress and
periodically update the data depicted in this study. Tracking progress on unit counts,
tenure, sale prices, rent rates, affordability, code violations, etc. are important
indicators in determining whether the current path of implementation is effecting
change in a positive and equitable way. Plans should be treated as living documents
to be evaluated and updated over time.
RKG
ASSOCIATES INC
Board of Aldermen
February 23, 2016 Page 18
UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES — None
NEW BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS
R-16-010
Endorser: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY TREASURER TO INCREASE THE BOND AUTHORIZATION
FOR ROAD AND TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS ON AMHERST STREET BETWEEN CHARRON AVENUE
AND DIESEL ROAD AND ISSUE BONDS NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION FOUR
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,004,000)
Given its first reading;
MOTION BY ALDERMAN DOWD TO ACCEPT THE FIRST READING OF R-16-010 BY ROLL CALL,
REFER IT TO THE BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THAT A PUBLIC HEARING BE SCHEDULED
FOR MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016, AT 7:00 PM IN THE ALDERMANIC CHAMBER
A Viva Voce Roll Call vote was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman Clemons, Alderman Deane, Alderman Cookson, 12
Alderman Dowd, Alderman Caron, Alderman Siegel,
Alderman Schoneman, Alderman McGuinness, Alderman LeBrun,
Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Lopez, Alderman McCarthy
Nay: Alderman Moriarty 1
MOTION CARRIED
R-16-011
Endorser: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Don LeBrun
Alderman Sean M. McGuinness
RELATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $62,000
FROM THREE PROPERTY OWNERS AS CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD THE ROAD AND TRAFFIC
IMPROVEMENTS ON AMHERST STREET BETWEEN CHARRON AVENUE AND DIESEL ROAD
Given its first reading; assigned to the BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE by President McCarthy
R-16-012
Endorser: Alderman-at-Large Daniel T. Moriarty
AUTHORIZING PENNICHUCK CORPORATION, PENNICHUCK WATER WORKS, INC., PENNICHUCK
EAST UTILITY, INC., AND PITTSFIELD AQUEDUCT COMPANY, INC. TO BORROW FUNDS FROM
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING LOAN FUND
Given its first reading; assigned to the PENNICHUCK WATER SPECIAL COMMITTEE by President McCarthy
R-16-013
Endorser: Alderman-at-Large Daniel T. Moriarty
AUTHORIZING PENNICHUCK CORPORATION AND PENNICHUCK EAST UTILITY, INC.
TO ENTER INTO A LONG TERM LOAN WITH COBANK
Given its first reading; assigned to the PENNICHUCK WATER SPECIAL COMMITTEE by President McCarthy
