News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Pretty much everybody in Vermont politics says that housing, or rather the lack of it, is THE major problem at the root of so many other problems our state is facing. Young people are leaving because they can’t find housing. Businesses can’t hire because employees can’t find housing. The rent is too damn high! And … Read more
ICYMI – BROWN: Housing Debate, PT 1 – “Local Control” Is Best Control TL;DR; Home affordability in New Hampshire remains a key challenge. State lawmakers have recently passed legislation to address the problem. The new laws presume that “regulatory overreach” by town boards is the main cause of our regional housing shortages. But the problem … Read more
Local zoning decisions provide the most efficient method of resolving property disputes and implementing voter-approved Master Plans. Our New Hampshire state statutes explicitly affirm that “Planning, zoning and related regulations have been and should continue to be the responsibility of municipal government.” (RSA 672:1) Town land-use ordinances have recently come under attack, however, and … Read more
Last year, a bipartisan majority of legislators agreed to legalize manufactured homes in all residential zones in the state. But it never happened. Though House Bill 685 passed both chambers on voice votes, it died in conference committee. The bill was an effort to open the housing market to a cheaper, smaller form of residential dwelling that … Read more
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 … Read more
How a non-vote exposed the Democrats’ true attitudes regarding the housing crisis When new Vermont House members receive their orientation to how things work in the legislature, one point of etiquette driven home is that it’s not good form to spring amendments to bills onto the floor without a healthy heads up. “No surprises,” goes … Read more
The term “mobile home” has a negative connotation. White trash Appalachian hillbilly crossed with white trash Oklahoma twister bait. I lived in one briefly and rented a room in another that was nicer than some homes I’ve been in. The latter is decidedly not mobile, while the former could have been moved. We owned the … Read more
This week, on Right Side Up, Alison and ike discuss housing reform, land use planning law, H.606 ( A new gun bill), and Edwatch Vermont, ” a nonprofit organization advocating for education independence, accountable spending, and student-centered education policy.” Watch on the ‘Grok Rumble Channel if the embedded video does not load.* *Some browsers’ security settings … Read more
We have been meaning to write about this for some time: One of the most ardent proponents of replacing local zoning with a one-size fits all Statewide zoning code, State Representative Ross Berry (better known on X (twitter) as RINO-Russ Barry), took umbrage at Representative Turcotte’s description of the push to supersede local zoning with … Read more
Turning Family Zoned Neighborhoods Into Strip Malls In 2025, the New Hampshire Republican “crazy-caucus,” with Democrat support, gutted the ability of cities/towns to maintain single-family zoned neighborhoods. For example, a State law (House Bill 457) was passed that allows houses in single-family-zoned neighborhoods to be converted into boarding houses. As a result, Blackstone or some … Read more
Now that many towns have held their March meetings, I am seeing posts from shocked taxpayers who wonder how anyone could have voted to take away their right to live in a single-family-zoned neighborhood. Well, that is interesting because we in Bedford, along with 18 or so other towns, have been warning you about this … Read more
We can’t imagine why Governor Ayotte, after promising not to ‘Mass Up New Hampshire’, signed several bills that would allow predatory developers from out of state to start soliciting homeowners in neighborhoods that were formerly zoned single-family with offers to help turn those neighborhoods into rental zones. Make no mistake, these companies are not interested … Read more
Beware of emails that you may get that look like this. This one was sent to us by one of our members. Forward the email to us and we will report it to the registrar and hosting server. Hi [recipient’s name redacted], I’m Sam, I’m representing an ADU builder in NH. I’m looking for people … Read more
The state legislature has passed several laws this year that limit the ability of towns and cities to control zoning — for example, towns must allow multifamily residential development in commercially zoned areas where infrastructure exists. HB 577 (Chapter 197, 2025) Requires towns/cities to allow either an attached or a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) … Read more
It has become a maxim inside the political cage match. If you want to start a fight, ask about affordable housing. The “housing Crisis,” real or imagined, was injected into the collective consciousness. Some blame boomers, others blame banks (or sinister global evils like Blackrock), as legislators dance around the fire tossing gasoline on it … Read more
Odds are good that thanks to all the “liberty” we got this past session in the wake of a slew of zoning bills, my prediction will come to pass. An increase in housing (notice I did not use the word affordable) will have limited practical improvement for some, but a significant net loss for liberty … Read more
While the uproar amongst many conservatives (all while democrats applaud) centers around many great Republican bills Governor Ayotte has vetoed, we mustn’t overlook a few bills she signed off on that force state mandates onto municipalities regarding zoning. When Kelly Ayotte ran for Governor, her catch slogan was “Let’s not Mass up NH”, a rather … Read more
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the Free State Project (FSP) and its leadership, and it’s opened my eyes to some troubling shifts. After this past legislative eye-opening session, I’ve grown increasingly concerned about the direction certain libertarian factions are taking. In a candid X post, I shared, “I’m increasingly concerned with FSP leadership (emphasis on leadership) … Read more
It is now VERY important to contact the Governor and tell her that 1,106 people on our petition hope that she will VETO HB 577, as it would eradicate and outlaw single-family neighborhoods just like they did in California. And we all know what a disaster that was! You can call and leave a polite … Read more
In England, if you want to start a fight in a bar (or a Pub), say something nasty about the monarchy or the nearest football team. In New Hampshire, it’s housing and zoning. We’ve offered our pages to both sides with a few takers because it’s a complex issue, and there are a lot of … Read more