For a copy of the report click on the link below:

Housing Task Force Report

Signs are clearly visible. The signs of new life and new business in the Millyard. The signs of neighborhoods coming back from abandonment. The signs of new development along South Willow Street. The signs of a top notch arena and growing airport. The signs of a new multi-cultural diversity. The signs of expanding educational institutions. These are signs that the City of Manchester is in a revitalization mode with a strong diversified economic base, great neighborhoods and improving public facilities.

Less obvious, but equally important, are the signs of a crisis in housing. The strong economy, coupled with limited production of housing, has led to the tightest housing market in a generation. Rents increasing faster than incomes, homelessness, difficulty in finding a single family home, families doubling up and tripling up in units and young adults moving back to their parents homes are all indicators of just how difficult the housing market currently is. To make matters worse, rapidly rising rents and difficulties in finding any units hits hardest on those families least able to afford it. Recognizing that an adequate supply of housing at affordable rates for all income levels is critical to providing shelter to all residents of the City and to continue the economic expansion, the Mayor convened a Housing Task Force to develop an Action Strategy for Manchester.

This report is the culmination of the efforts of the Task Force which included a major conference on Housing held at UNH Manchester in the summer of last year. Included are recommendations on action strategies which the City and other housing organizations could implement to improve the housing situation in Manchester. These strategies are organized into five major categories of action: Planning & Coordination, Regulatory improvements, Education & Advocacy, Incentives & Financing and City Policy. The Appendices include a selection of key information and a summary of the Housing Conference.