Special Board of Aldermen 12-21-2021 Page 5
Matt Sullivan, Planning Manager
The initial intent was to provide a restriction in perpetuity, but obviously in the State of New Hampshire we cannot do
that. So 99 years was viewed as the best effort in that regard. | will say the existing ordinance has a range of term
within. It goes from 10 up to 30 years and how long that term actually lasts.
Laurie Ortolano
Okay.
Matt Sullivan, Planning Manager
Our intent here is to protect as long a term affordability as possible. So that's why we chose that 99 year period.
Laurie Ortolano
Thank you.
Chairman Tencza
Thank you Miss Ortolano. Anyone else in the chamber in favor of O-21-073? Okay seeing none, I'll call online. Is
there anyone online who would like to testify in favor of O-21-073? Rabbi Spira-Savett, please go ahead.
Jonathan Spira-Savett
Thank you. My name is Jonathan Spira-Savett. | am 39 Coburn Avenue in Word 1 and I'm also the Rabbi of Temple
Beth Abraham in Nashua, and member with Reverend Basada of the Greater Nashua interfaith Housing Justice
Group, and also represented Ward 1 for the Citizens Steering Committee for the Master Plan. I'm really very
appreciative of all the work that our city departments have been doing, and you the Board of Aldermen, and many,
many fellow citizens on this. I’ve spoken about this at your last meeting about it so | don't want to repeat much that
has been said and that others have said. | support myself and on behalf of the Housing Justice Group, this ordinance
for pragmatic reasons and for moral reasons.
The Master Plan in terms of pragmatic reasons sets a goal of adding several 1,000 new units of housing in our city for
all segments of the market for renters, and for owners, and reducing substantially the number of people who pay more
than they can reasonably afford for housing. Inclusionary zoning is one part of the answer to all of these goals and it's
a very, very good model for all hands on deck. The city, and private builders, and nonprofits like NeighborWorks, and
all parts in areas of our city and that's going to help us do the following things as well that we'll need to do in these
areas. That in and of itself is part of for me the moral case - meeting the needs of people. As Reverend Basada said,
“work, and learn, and play, and age here, and are part of our life in Nashua and wants to live here”. We want all to be
part of the same community.
Affordable housing as a moral issue. It’s good for all of us in the community, especially when it is everywhere. This
kind of process and what we can learn by doing this together will help us create a kind of community that's not in
segments but all together and also help us ultimately by living closer together to surface the kind of wisdom to help us
develop new approaches to affordable housing beyond this one and address other kinds of future issues that affect us
on. Sol hope very, very much that the alderman will support this new ordinance.
Chairman Tencza
Thank you. Anyone else online who would like to testify in favor of O-21-073. There's someone with their hand
raised that's just identified as “iPhone”. So please state your name and address for the record.
Tonia Isley
My name is Tonia Isley. I'm at 83 Major Drive. | am in Ward 7 right now. I'd say that | am in favor of the inclusionary
zoning law. | want to go on the record that being a resident that lives in public housing right now, | do have to say that
I'm very disappointed at the 80% AMI income base that we are going to help considering that Nashua is a very low
income city and we definitely need more support for 60% AMI and under. With that said, | am, again, in support of the
inclusionary zoning law. Thank you so much.
