An open letter to the governor-elect

Dear Governor-Elect Lynch:

On behalf of the officers and members of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of New Hampshire, we wish to congratulate you on your recent election as governor of New Hampshire. We commend you for taking the time and energy to serve the citizens of this great state and we look forward to working with you and your team to make a special place even better.

As one of the largest trade organizations in the state with over 1,000 member firms employing over 60,000 workers, the members of the HBRANH are charged with providing safe and high-quality homes to citizens at all income levels.

The HBRANH serves as a direct source for information regarding home building and remodeling and is the voice of the industry in local, state and national arenas.

Home construction activities contribute substantially to New Hampshire’s revenues through the real estate transfer tax, business taxes generated by the thousands of businesses in the industry and the ongoing revenue stream created by the large workforce employed by HBRANH members.

The critical issues surrounding the lack of balanced housing in New Hampshire cannot be overlooked and are now adversely impacting the ability of the state’s business community to attract highly skilled and well paid individuals. Additionally, our most precious resource — our talented young people — is moving away due, in part, to the lack of housing that they can afford.

We urge you to elevate the issue of the state’s housing needs to one of prominence in the public discussions surrounding what is best for New Hampshire. We encourage you to continue the efforts of the current administration to promote “Smart Growth” through programs such as those developed by the Office of Energy and Planning, efforts by the Governor’s Advisor on Smart Growth and other housing advocates.

Solutions to balancing the environmental needs, the economic needs and the housing needs of this great state are available if everyone will work together. That is why this association has recently formed the Public Policy Alliance for Housing, a forum to address state and local legislative, local regulatory and policy issues and its impact on the state of housing on the economic landscape for New Hampshire.

As questions arise about building, development and smart growth during your tenure as governor, please feel free to call upon us for clear and concise information that will allow you to make informed decisions about the future of New Hampshire.

Sincerely yours,

Michael Beaudry, President
Kendall L. Buck, Executive Vice President
Home Builders and Remodelers
Association of New Hampshire