NH Delegation Announces More than $3 Million to Support Affordable Housing for Granite Staters

(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that New Hampshire will receive $3,101,884 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Trust Fund program to support affordable housing for Granite Staters throughout the state.

“The lack of affordable housing in our communities is a serious challenge that has forced many Granite Staters to choose between paying their mortgage or rent and other necessities like food, utilities and medicine. Without additional assistance, these families are at risk of losing their homes with nowhere to go,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m glad New Hampshire is receiving these federal funds, which will help expand access to affordable housing throughout our state. The housing crisis impacting many Granite Staters drove my efforts to secure additional relief in the American Rescue Plan to ensure families are able to keep a roof over their heads during these difficult times. I’ll keep working to ensure these urgently needed federal resources are swiftly delivered to New Hampshire.”

“Providing Granite State families access to safe, affordable housing is extremely important, particularly amid the challenges of the current public health and economic crisis,” said Senator Hassan. “This significant federal funding will help provide Granite Staters access to safe, stable housing. I was glad to have been a part of efforts to secure this funding in the year-end COVID relief package. I will continue working with the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation to ensure that we address New Hampshire’s housing crisis and provide additional community assistance to those in need.”

“Access to high-quality, affordable housing could be a game-changer for Granite State families from the North Country to the Southern Tier,” said Representative Kuster. “I’m thrilled New Hampshire is receiving these federal funds to support affordable housing, and I look forward to working with our state’s housing organizations and advocates to help make the most out of these dollars. Every Granite Stater deserves a safe place to call home, especially during a public health crisis, and I will continue working in Congress to ensure no one is left behind as we recover and rebuild from this pandemic.”  

“COVID-19 has further exacerbated the affordable housing crisis that has confronted New Hampshire for years, and these federal funds will play a critical role in ensuring those in need have a safe place to call home,” said Representative Pappas. “I will continue to work with the delegation to support our most vulnerable neighbors during these trying times while also advancing long term solutions to ensure affordable housing is in reach for all New Hampshire residents.”

The New Hampshire delegation has worked to protect access to housing for Granite Staters left vulnerable by the COVID-19 public health and economic emergency. In total, the delegation has announced more than $70.8 million thus far in federal funding to help support affordable housing, health care and social services in communities throughout New Hampshire. This includes $1 million announced in February, $8.4 million in January, $5.8 million and $1.8 million last September, more than $39.5 million in August, $3.6 million in May and $11.7 million in April. In response to a letter sent to HUD by Shaheen, the department released guidance last year allowing nearly $10.4 million provided by the CARES Act to New Hampshire for emergency housing assistance to be used to support shelters and prevent vulnerable Granite Staters from becoming homeless amid COVID-19. In addition, the delegation-backed American Rescue Plan contains billions in additional housing relief for working families in New Hampshire and across the country. Furthermore, the American Rescue Plan that the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation helped pass into law designates over $20 billion in rental assistance, and the December COVID-19 relief package included $25 billion in rental assistance.

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