Nashua residents deserve full transparency into how our City manages taxpayer‑funded housing programs and vets individuals placed in our neighborhoods. Recent events have raised serious and urgent concerns about the City of Nashua’s screening practices, concerns that City officials have repeatedly refused to address.
A Nashua resident recently informed me that her father, a local landlord, was approached by the City to house newly arrived immigrants. As part of his standard procedure, he conducted background checks on applicants. One individual’s background check reportedly returned a serious criminal alert originating from Mexico. The landlord declined to accept the individual, so the City then placed this same individual in a different location that does not require background checks.
This account, if accurate, raises critical questions about what safeguards the City of Nashua has in place to protect public safety and whether taxpayer‑funded housing placements are being made without proper vetting.
To obtain clarity, I filed a Right‑to‑Know request on May 18, 2026, seeking:
- Contractual agreements between the City and landlords providing housing assistance.
- Copies of all forms applicants must complete, including any background‑check documentation.
On June 29, 2026, the City responded with the same dismissive statement for both items: “The law requires a reasonable description of the document sought.”
This is a familiar pattern. Nashua residents routinely encounter stonewalling, vague denials, and procedural barriers that prevent meaningful oversight of City operations. The City’s refusal to provide even basic documentation leaves residents with no way to verify whether individuals placed in taxpayer‑funded housing have been properly screened.
The possibility that someone with a serious criminal alert may have been placed in Nashua housing, without background checks, is deeply alarming. Even more alarming is the City’s refusal to answer straightforward questions about its vetting process. It is clear that this individual is not being housed anywhere near Mayor Donchess’ residence.
Nashua residents have a right to demand accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public funds. Instead, they are met with evasive responses and a Right‑to‑Know process that has become increasingly dysfunctional. Courts have allowed this pattern to continue, leaving residents with no meaningful recourse.
This is not how open government is supposed to function. Nashua taxpayers deserve answers and a City government that prioritizes their safety, not secrecy.
