Board of Aldermen 11-09-2021 Page 3
Alderman Lopez
Okay.
President Wilshire
Anyone else? Seeing none.
RECOGNITION PERIOD — None
READING MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
There being no objection, President Wilshire declared the minutes of the regular and Special Board of Aldermen
meetings of October 25 and October 26, 2021 be accepted, placed on file, and the readings suspended.
COMMUNICATIONS REQUIRING ONLY PROCEDURAL ACTIONS AND WRITTEN REPORTS
FROM LIAISONS
From: Karen A. Smith, Business Manager
Re: R-21-185 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program
There being no objection, President Wilshire accepted the communication and placed it on file.
PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT RELATIVE TO ITEMS EXPECTED TO BE ACTED UPON THIS EVENING
President Wilshire
We have two people that have signed up. Please when | call you come to the microphone, give your name and address
for the record, and you have a three minute period to address the Board.
Kristy Besada
Good evening Madam President, Mayor Donchess, and members of the Board. Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
My name is Kristy Besada. | live at 12 Nutmeg Drive. | am one of the Pastors at Main Street United Methodist Church
and | am here representing both the Nashua Interfaith Housing Justice Network and also the Granite State Organizing
Project. | know that your agenda is packed and so | will try to be brief and respectful of your time.
| am here to support mandatory inclusionary zoning. The United Methodist Church and its social principal affirms fair
access to quality housing for all people regardless of income or any other social distinction. In my previous experience as
a housing program manager in this city, | have seen how important affordable stable housing is to the thriving of our
community and its members. In this chamber, we have heard Director Cummings mention that employers evaluate our
housing market when deciding whether to locate facilities in Nashua, and so it is very clear that an equitable housing
market is essential for the wellbeing of the citizens of this city and also the businesses in this city.
The inclusionary zoning amendment on the agenda this evening begins to address the current affordable housing crisis in
Nashua. My cohorts at GSOP and the Interfaith Housing Justice Network are in agreement that it should pass. We
believe that the home ownership portion of this amendment is excellent. We also believe that some work could be done
on the rental portion of the amendment - lowering the income targets a bit so that it provides assistance to the families
who are working hard and need it most. That said, we want it to pass either way and we are looking forward to working
with you on those targets in the future if it passes as written this evening. | hope that we will be able to celebrate the
passage of this amendment this evening and | thank you so much for your time.
Jonathan Spira-Savett
Thank you again, Madam President, Mayor Donchess, and honored leaders, and fellow citizens. My name is Jonathan
Spira-Savett. | live at 39 Coburn Avenue in Ward one. | served as Rabbi at Temple Beth Abraham. | am a board
member along with Reverend Besada at the Nashua Area Interfaith Council, which is the coalition of more than 20
religious organizations in town and with her one of the participants and conveners of the Greater Nashua Interfaith
Housing Justice Group. We've been meeting twice every month for about three years to work on affordable housing. |
have the honor also to serve on the citizen committee for the city's Master Plan working with Director Marchant - we wish
her so well - and the consultants, and fellow citizens on the vision for our community. You can honor the work that we did
