Board of Aldermen 02-15-2022 Page 3
When it comes to our infrastructure, we have achieved real, measurable results. Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public
Works, and her engineering staff have worked effectively to oversee this transformation of our infrastructure.
Through the end of 2021, our Paving Plan of Action has paved 114 miles of streets and preserved another 103 miles
with crack sealing. All of this work is based upon the analysis of every street, which we have scored according to a
100-point Paving Condition Index, or PCI. When | came into office as Mayor, everywhere | went, people complained
about the condition of our streets. “Kinsley Street is terrible.” “Concord Street is a minefield.” “Are you letting Main
Dunstable go back to dirt?” “Broad Street has never been in worse shape. ” | often rode my bike on Pine Hill Road
and | couldn’t believe how many patches there were. Now, we have paved Kinsley Street, Concord Street, Main
Dunstable Road, Broad Street, Amherst Street, Somerset Parkway, Pine Hill Road, and many more smaller
neighborhood streets. In the coming paving seasons, we will continue with our Plan of Action and keep improving our
City’s basic transportation infrastructure.
During the last several years, we have lined or replaced more than 20 miles of our sewer pipes — some of which date
back to the 1800s and we have rehabilitated the wastewater plant which is heavily regulated by the federal EPA and
the State of New Hampshire DES. We have expanded our City landfill so that it will have 10 to 15 more years of life
and we are seeking to permit Phase 4 which will give us a total of 40 or 50 years of life. Our investments in
infrastructure pay dividends because they help us build a stronger, healthier economy and improve our day-to-day
lives.
REVALUATION
For the past year we have been conducting a revaluation of all Nashua properties. Periodic revaluations are required
by the State of New Hampshire. We have hired an expert firm, Vision Government Solutions, to do the work. For the
first time since 1991, we are doing what is called a “full measure and list” revaluation. This means that Vision
appraisers will inspect each property from the outside and will also offer every homeowner the option of an internal
inspection.
Home values in Nashua, and in New Hampshire, and across the country have skyrocketed over the past few years.
For Nashua, Redfin reports that in December 2021 home prices were up 13 percent in just one year and homes were
selling for a median price of $387,000. According to home price industry expert Case-Shiller, home prices nationwide
are up 22 percent since the beginning of the pandemic. Covid-19 has only accentuated this underlying trend with
more people working and spending time at home. For homeowners, the good news is that they have increased their
wealth a lot. But unfortunately, the dramatic increase in home prices will mean that this State-mandated revaluation
will raise property taxes for our Nashua homeowners.
Our Assessing Department is committed to making sure that home values are fairly assessed. Any homeowner who
believes their assessment is not correct will have the opportunity to talk with a Vision appraiser about the possibility of
a correction.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
A major challenge we face is a lack of affordable housing. As | discussed earlier, home prices have taken off and so
too have rents. Rent in Nashua has seen an 11 percent increase in just one year with the average 1-bedroom
commanding $1 ,600-$1,800 per month. We are taking dramatic steps to increase the supply of affordable housing in
the City. We allocated federal Home Funds to enable the development of 150 units of workforce housing on Marshall
Street.
Nashua has been also remarkably successful in winning competitive grants for millions of dollars of de-leading money.
These funds are used to help landlords de-lead their apartments to make them safe for kids. These projects help
increase the supply of affordable housing because every landlord as a condition of accepting the funds is required to
cut rents for 5 years. Over the past two years, we have de-leaded and rendered more affordable 77 apartments.
We are working with the Nashua Housing Authority to build Monahan Manor, 200 units of affordable housing on
Central Street. These homes should be available by the fall of 2023. They will be on the site of the former Bronstein
Apartments and all residents of Bronstein are guaranteed to return to a unit of an equal or larger size. We also have
created an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Based upon the input of the Board of Aldermen and of community
advocates like Rabbi Spira-Savett, the Nashua Interfaith Council, and Bob Keating, | will propose that we fund the
Trust with millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan money that we are getting from Washington, DC. And atthe
end of 2021, we passed an inclusionary zoning ordinance which requires that all new developments include a share of
affordable housing. This applies to both apartment developments and new homes for sale.
