Alan Doyon: A solution for State School property that sets the working class up for success

Oct 14, 2022
Oct 14, 2022
1

To The Daily Sun,

The No. 1 issue for residents is affordable housing, not hotels or strip malls. The state should go under contract with multiple builders to create affordable housing units, including studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. No need to get fancy furnishings but quality, functional housing for working families.

Set the criteria that requires applicants to be employed full time and have a history of responsible finances. The state can donate the land on all affordable homes, assist in funding site development for roads and utilities, and set the prices such that the monthly housing costs for mortgage, insurance and utilities do not exceed 40% of the applicant's annual income. Laconia could include a phase-in of real estate tax assessments to further help working families with housing and gaining home ownership. As with any affordable housing project, any future sale would limit windfall profits but yield a reasonable gain as families that establish themselves and need larger homes would be able to sell or trade up.

There's a huge statewide shortage of reasonably priced worker housing and this property is a great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people in need. Eligibility standards should include employment longevity, family size, family income and other reasonable measures of character. The goal is to ensure the area doesn't become Section 8 rental housing but prideful ownership to secure a working person's future. Portions of the property intermixed could also be market-priced homes. Either way, contractors would make a reasonable profit while creating or protecting jobs, and the state creates much-needed affordable housing.

The state doesn't need a $10 million sale proceeds, it needs affordable housing units.

Alan Doyon

Meredith

(1) comment

bobsmith Oct 17, 2022 5:26pm

1)The state school site,should be a multi tenant development to include enough space for each tenant and the buildings that are built should allow for easy reconfiguration for other businesses if one moves out. The design shall accommodate such. 2) The tenants for the site can be, defense industry,like:BAE which is in NH they should be solicited.Lonza and other biologics companies should be contacted. Semiconductors,chip manufactures,there is a major push to get these made back in the USA,contact Intel, Globalfoundries,and other USA based semiconductor companies and offer them a space.Light to medium manufacturing of car parts is another sector that provides long term jobs.Fidelity investments,in NH, contact them to get a portion of their operations moved here. We need to consult with NH businesses that are here and get them to reach out to their contacts in their industries and let them know, we are open for business' and the quality of the site and life in NH is better than any other place!

3)We do not need to put housing at the state school site as that is a waste of space. Bring the jobs in first, those companies will then bring in their teams to setup the site and then that will lure local and outside workers. You can fund and expansion of housing up the parade road location and build housing in the State of NH hay fields. Those fields serve the state no purpose and the state should turn those over to Laconia to aid in housing development. Bring public water and sewer to those sites on parade road to allow for greater development and hook up private residences in that area. Subsidize the cost with bonds or the development of the State School property. Housing never brings jobs! Let business development lead the way.