Saint Anselm College hosted the eighth annual Housing We Need forum on December 12 at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, convening community leaders, policymakers, housing practitioners, students, and residents to explore strategies for addressing the state’s housing shortage.
The theme of this year’s forum, “Supply Unlocked: Levers for Housing Growth,” focused on expanding housing supply and affordability through a range of policy, financial, and community based approaches. The event was co-hosted by the College’s Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice and the Center for Ethics in Society.
Opening remarks underscored the urgency of the housing challenge, with local leaders pointing to the widening gap between incomes and housing prices and the resulting impacts on workforce stability and economic growth.
Throughout the morning, presenters highlighted innovative housing initiatives underway across New Hampshire. Examples included cottage court developments that provide smaller, more affordable homes, adaptive reuse of existing buildings to create new housing, and infill projects that blend thoughtful design with affordability. Participants also discussed zoning updates and regulatory reforms that allow communities to add housing incrementally while preserving local character.
New research findings from the New Hampshire Zoning Atlas reinforced that local zoning regulations, limited water and sewer infrastructure, and minimum lot size requirements remain significant barriers to housing development. Financial tools and policy changes were also a focal point, including mortgage products that support accessory dwelling units and strategies to streamline permitting and development processes. Speakers emphasized that aligning local policies with housing goals is essential to accelerating production.
“We sensed a real connectedness as we celebrated the resourcefulness and collaborations that are starting to yield results,” noted Elissa Margolin, director of the Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice. “Although there is a long way to go, we are starting to understand the levers necessary to unlock housing supply.”
The forum concluded with a national perspective from Up for Growth CEO Mike Kingsella, who addressed the causes and consequences of housing undersupply and called for coordinated action across federal, state, and local levels to meet growing demand.
The Housing We Need forum reflects Saint Anselm College’s ongoing commitment to civic engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration, providing a space for learning, dialogue, and shared problem solving around one of New Hampshire’s most pressing challenges.