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Downtown Nashua

NEARLY ALL SALES IN THE
DOWNTOWN AREA ARE BELOW
THE CITY'S MEDIAN.

¢ In 2019, 80% of sales in the Downtown
area were less than the city-wide
median of $321,198

* Over the last 10 years, 93% of sales
were less than that city-wide median

Over the last nine years, single-family
homes sold in the Downtown area have
sold for an average of $218,000 while
multi-family structures sold for an
average of $242,000

The fact that multi-family structures are
not selling for considerably higher
values than single-family may speak to
the condition and age of those
properties and how they have been
maintained over time.

MLS Sales 2010-2019
GED $22,000 - $150,590

$150,591 - $202,400
$202,401 - $243,732
$243,733 - $285,498

GD over $285,498

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ASSOCIATES INC

RECOMMENDATIONS

ASSOCIATES INC

ORGANIZATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS

¢ Utilize Master Plan, Land Use Policy, and Zoning to
Address Housing Choice, Affordability, and Location

¢ Continue to Integrate Accessory Dwelling Units

« Leverage Public Land for Housing

« Educate the Public on the Need for and Benefits of
Housing

ALIGNING POLICIES AND HOUSING OUTCOMES

* Create an Affordable Housing Trust
¢ Update Inclusionary Zoning Regulations
« Phase in Rental Registry and Inspection Process

INVEST IN NEW AND EXPANDED HOUSING PROGRAMS

¢ Expand Rental and Owner Rehab Programs
¢ Reintroduce First Time Homebuyer Program

EXPANDING PARNTERSHIPS

Leveraging Capital from Housing Partners

Continue the Partnership with the Housing Authority
Right of First Refusal Policy

Working with Employers to Identify Opportunities to
Partner on Employer Assisted Housing

ASSOCIATES INC

RKG

ASSOCIATES INC

DISCUSSION

HOUSING STUDY FOR THE CITY OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE
October 2020

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Eric Halvorsen, AICP
Vice President & Principal
RKG Associates, Inc.

Email: ehalvorsen@rkgassociates.com
Phone: 617-847-8912

A regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, October 13, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. via
teleconference.

President Lori Wilshire presided; City Clerk Susan Lovering recorded.

Prayer was offered by City Clerk Susan Lovering; Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly led in the Pledge
to the Flag.

President Wilshire

As President of the Board of Aldermen, | find that due to the State of Emergency declared by the
Governor as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in accordance with the Governor’s Emergency
Order #12 pursuant to Executive Order 2020-04, this public body is authorized to meet electronically.

Please note that there is no physical location to observe and listen contemporaneously to this meeting,
which was authorized pursuant to the Governor's Emergency Order. However, in accordance with the
Emergency Order, | am confirming that we are:

Providing public access to the meeting by telephone, with additional access possibilities by video or other
electronic means:

To access Zoom, please refer to the agenda or the City’s website for the meeting link.

To join by phone dial: 1-929-205-6099 - Meeting ID: 870 7107 1871 Passcode: 761034

The public may also view the meeting via Channel 16.

We previously gave notice to the public of the necessary information for accessing the meeting, through
public postings. Instructions have also been provided on the City of Nashua’s website at www.nashuanh.gov
and publicly noticed at City Hall and Nashua Public Library.

If anybody has a problem accessing the meeting via phone or Channel 16, please call 603-821-2049 and
they will help you connect.

In the event the public is unable to access the meeting via the methods mentioned above, the meeting will be
adjourned and rescheduled. Please note that all votes that are taken during this meeting shall be done by roll
call vote.

Let’s start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance. When each member states their presence, please
also state whether there is anyone in the room with you during this meeting, which is required under the
Right-To-Know Law.

The roll call was taken with 15 members of the Board of Aldermen present: Alderman Michael B. O’Brien,

Sr., Alderman Patricia Klee, Alderwoman Shoshanna Kelly, Alderman Richard A. Dowd, Alderman June M.
Caron, Alderman Benjamin Clemons, Alderman Thomas Lopez, Alderman David C. Tencza, Alderwoman

Elizabeth Lu, Alderman Ernest Jette, Alderman Jan Schmidt, Alderman Brandon Michael Laws, Alderman

Skip Cleaver, Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire.

Mayor James W. Donchess, Corporation Counsel Steven A. Bolton, were also in attendance.

ROLL CALL

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 2
Alderman O’Brien

| am present, | am alone, and | can hear the proceedings.

Alderman Klee

| am present, | am alone at the moment, | can hear the proceedings and | just need to accuse Alderman
Lopez of stealing my family room. That's all | have to say.

Alderwoman Kelly
| am here, | am alone, | can hear everyone.
Alderman Dowd

| can hear the proceedings, | am alone, and | am practicing social distancing in accordance with the
Governor's Order.

Alderman Caron

Yes, | am here, | am alone and | can hear everyone.

Alderman Clemons

Hi, | am here, | am by myself and | can hear everybody.

Alderman Lopez

| am here, | am alone in my own apartment, | can hear and see everybody.
Alderman Tencza

| am present, | am alone and | can hear everyone. Thank you.
Alderwoman Lu

| am present, alone and | can hear everyone.

Alderman Jette

| am here, | can hear everything and | am staying safer at home with my wife.
Alderman Schmidt

| am present and | am alone.

Alderman Laws

| am here, | can hear you and! am alone.

Alderman Cleaver

| am here, my daughter is with me. | am practicing social distancing.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 3

Alderman Harriott-Gathright

| am present, | am in this room alone, and | am practicing social distancing and | can hear everyone.
President Wilshire
| am here, | am alone and | can hear everyone and | am social distancing.

Susan Lovering, City Clerk

You have 15 in attendance.
President Wilshire

Thank you. Also in attendance is Mayor James Donchess and Corporation Counsel, Steven Bolton.
Mayor, do you wish to address the Board this evening?

REMARKS BY THE MAYOR

Mayor Donchess

Yes, Madam President. There are a few items that | wish to speak to you about tonight. First, on our
Agenda is a very important recognition of the people who have organized and conducted the very beautiful
kayak parade; the lighted kayak parade on two different occasions as well as other kayak events. Bev
Monagle, Trish Mullen and others. | remember one Friday or Saturday night | was at home and | saw on
Facebook a photo of what they had accomplished that first time and the beauty of it and the spontaneity
and just the commitment that it took. It just was something that | greatly admired and since then they have
built on this. This is what we are trying to accomplish with respect to our improvements along the river.
This is a great asset that people can enjoy and our lighted kayakers are showing us the way. So later on
we have a recognition for them, Madam President, which | know we will read at that time. But | wanted to
thank them.

One major item on the Agenda tonight, Madam President, is R-20-071 which is the bonding authority to
complete the Performing Arts Center and provide the parking necessary to move forward on the School
Street Housing. As we’ve discussed already, the Committee and the City have raised the $4 million dollars
that we need to satisfy the commitment on the bonding. That constitutes the New Market Tax Credits as
well as the private funds raised. Now the New Market Tax Credits is a deal that we have to close later on,
but there seems to be no doubt that we can do that and get that money. Of course, without it we would
never proceed, because the $4 million dollars wouldn’t be satisfied.

The Performing Arts Center will help us build a stronger economy, build a stronger tax base. It’s a project
as a result of a stronger economy, stronger tax base that will benefit everyone in every neighborhood of the
City. It will support our small businesses and bolster them. And it will attract private investment into the
downtown. We have already seen that occur because the School Street housing, a proposed 150 units, is
the first time a private investor has been willing to build from the ground up apartments in downtown without
a conversion; Conversion has special, very lucrative tax incentives -from the ground up, in 120 years. So
we have disinvestment in terms of apartments downtown, at least ground up apartments for 120 years.

These smaller units that will be part of the project, studios and one bedrooms and desperately needed in
our market. You will be hearing soon that that the rents for one bedroom apartments in the last ten years
have climbed 40% as compared with 20%, well 20% is still a lot but half that rate for apartments in general.
So we are in critical shortage regarding one bedroom apartments, apartments needed by very small
families, by single individuals who would like to live downtown.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 4

Now, of course, some people have expressed a concern regarding affordable housing, a well placed and a
concern that we share because we want all families and all individuals to have an affordable place to live,
something we have been working on, on and off for decades. But if you look at the City’s record over the
last four years, four or five years, you will see that in the downtown areas, now again not in the central
business district but a little bit distant, we have promoted the development of 500 units and 150 of those
have been affordable. So what we have achieved is a 30% affordability rate.

We need to continue working on this problem of a shortage of housing and a shortage of affordable
housing, project by project. So a project which will accompany the School Street Housing is the Bronstein
Conversion, which Boston Capital proposed to do with the Housing Authority, guaranteeing those people
living there to return in an equal or better unit than they have now. That will add 150 affordable units two
blocks from School Street. In addition, and maybe Ms. Marchant is on this call, we have committed HOME
Funds to another affordable housing project on Amherst Street, close by to the School Street up on the
early part of Manchester Street. And we are working with Neighborworks and other projects, other ideas, to
promote the idea of affordable housing. And, of course, we have a study that is about to come out.

But again this project demonstrates that the Performing Arts Center will attract private investment, because
the taxes generated by the School Street Housing will pay for not only the public parking that will be
retained there, but will also pay for the additional bonding capacity for the Performing Arts Center asked for
in R-70-021. These are linked, at least conceptually because we’ve always said the Performing Arts
Center would attract private development and the developer of the School Street Housing, Peter Flotz, has
said that’s why he got interested in Nashua. He’s the first developer, builder of housing from the ground
up, apartments that has been willing to work in the central business district, in more than a century. So |
hope you all will support R-20-071 and we can make two projects successful. And, in addition to that,
develop affordable housing where we know we can do it.

R-20-016 | wanted to mention Madam President, this is the Energy Performance Contract. | don’t have a lot
to say about that. | think it’s been in two committees, but it will convert the high schools to more efficient
energy use, both LED lights and other features. It will reduce the carbon emissions at the two high schools
by 1,600 tons of carbon per year, the equivalent of taking 348 cars off the road. This will not cost the City

in the sense that the guaranteed savings are greater than the amount we will have to pay in basically rent
for these improvements. And we expect also to save $10,000.00 but probably significantly more money per
year in energy costs in addition to all the carbon reduction. It is something we’ve worked very closely with,
with the School Department. It’s a big project and it just shows how much we can accomplish if we keep
going in this direction. We will nearly have reached our goal of 25% carbon reduction by 2025 once this
project is completed.

Finally, Madam President, | wanted to mention with some concern Ordinance O-20-032. This has to do
with the reduction of the overnight parking fines. | think if you are inclined to vote for this we should hold
this because you need to understand the implications. If we reduce revenue, supporting the parking
enforcement function by $225,000.00 to $250,000.00 which is the fiscal note it would put parking
enforcement deeply in the red. We can’t run — especially now with all the financial issues we are facing,
COVID, the Pension Increase, the Health Care, we cannot afford to run Parking Enforcement deeply in the
red. So were this to pass we would need to go into effect, we would need to significantly reduce parking
enforcement to balance the budget there, probably by letting some people go, probably by little
enforcement at night. | think you should understand the implications before you vote on it. So | would ask if
you are inclined to vote for it, | mean | obviously | don’t support the idea at least in the current environment.
But | would ask members that are considering it to think about holding it so that we can have a more in-
depth discussion about how this could be handled and the implications it would have in terms of parking
enforcement.

But back to kayakers, | can’t wait until we get to the recognition because they have done such a beautiful
job for the City. Thank you, Madam President.

RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR - None

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 5

RECOGNITION PERIOD

Nashua Area Kayak Explorations Destinations Group

Mayor Donchess

Alright, thank you Madam President. Of course you and | and other members of the Board of Alderman
had discussed this wonderful accomplishment numerous times. So we have come up with this Resolution
that | hope you will all endorse and | am sure you will, celebrating Nashua Area Kayak Explorations
Destinations. Whereas the Nashua Area Kayak Exploration Destinations is a special group that makes
Nashua a great placed. Founded 5 years ago, its 1,400 members are kayak and some paddle board
enthusiasts; good stewards of our waterways and they are dedicated to bringing the community together.
And whereas founding members, Trisha Mullin and Beverly Monagle say the camaraderie, the fun, exercise
and chance to get outside are what they love most about being in this group. Nashua Area Kayak
Exploration Destinations is focused on bringing kayakers togethers to set on the water and kayakers of
various ages and skill levels getting to know each other.

Nashua is a unique and special place for kayakers with the Nashua River running through downtown. And
whereas during what has been a difficult year, Nashua Area Kayak Explorations Destinations has brought
joy into our lives with its Halloween Kayak Parade and two nighttime kayak parades in the Nashua River
featuring kayaks adorned with bright, colorful light. In previous years, the group joined in our downtown
music events and helped with the duck herding for the Annual Rotary Duck Race. Its members have lent a
hand in monthly clean ups of Mine Falls Park.

They’ve also seen a rise in membership this year as Nashuans were looking for fun, outdoor activities. And
whereas thank you, Nashua Area Kayak Explorations Destinations for lighting up our hearts this summer:
for giving Nashuans something to smile about and for helping community members find a new, fun past-
time. And now, therefore, |, Jim Donchess, Mayor of the City of Nashua and the Nashua Board of
Aldermen do hereby recognize the Nashua Area Kayak Explorations Destinations as a special part of the
Nashua Community. That concludes it Madam President.

President Wilshire
Thank you and congratulations to the Nashua Area Kayak Explorations Destinations Group. We appreciate

everything you’ve done and it was fantastic to see the lighted kayaks out on the river. It’s great to see the
river being used. Thank you for that.

Alderman Lopez

Madam President?

President Wilshire

Alderman Lopez.

Alderman Lopez

Just as a point of order | would like to clarify that we just recognized our naked citizens.

READING MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

There being no objection, President Wilshire declared the minutes of the Board of Aldermen
meeting of September 22, 2020; Special Board of Aldermen meetings of September 28 and
October 6, 2020 accepted, placed on file, and the reading suspended.

Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 6
Alderwoman Lu

Yes | noticed an error in the meetings from the last Board of Aldermen Meeting that I’d like to bring up.
President Wilshire

Ok. Which meeting, Alderman Lu?

Alderwoman Lu

The meeting of the 22", September 22" or was it the 23?

President Wilshire

We met on the 22%.

Alderwoman Lu

OK, that’s the one. | had made reference to the escrow of $50,000.00 to a study for the dog park and |
listened to the tape and it sounded to me like 50 and the amount | meant to say was 50 and I'd like that to be
corrected and it was transcribed as 15.

President Wilshire

Ok duly noted. Thank you.

COMMUNICATIONS REQUIRING ONLY PROCEDURAL ACTIONS AND WRITTEN REPORTS
FROM LIAISONS

From: Donna Graham, Legislative Affairs Manager
Re: Communications Received from the Public

From: Sarah Marchant, Community Development Director
Re: Bronstein Housing Relocation Update

From: Julie Chizmas, Transportation and Long-Range Planner, Community Development Division
Re: Referral from Board of Aldermen: Ordinance O-20-031 — Prohibiting Dogs in Fenced-In Tot
Lots

From: Jill Stansfield, Parking Manager
Re: Concerns Relative to O-20-032: Reducing the Fine for Overnight Parking Violations

From: Doria Brown, Energy Manager
Re: Nashua School Energy Performance Contract with EE

There being no objection, President Wilshire accepted the communications and placed them on file.

PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT RELATIVE TO ITEMS EXPECTED TO BE ACTED UPON THIS
EVENING

President Wilshire

We have a lot of people on, 65 people on this meeting and | am going to have to limit your time because we
will be here until 2:00 in the morning. So | am going to call for Public Comment right now. Mr. Teeboom?