Episode Details

New Hampshire just handed towns a housing mandate: commercial zones now allow multi-family housing “by right,” slashing local control and triggering legal chaos. While advocates cheer this as a win for desperately needed housing — especially where jobs and infrastructure already exist — town reps are furious, calling it a top-down overreach that strips local autonomy. The new law, retroactive since July 1, lets towns only restrict height and setbacks, not density, and forces developers to prove new housing won’t wreck traffic or water systems — with towns risking legal fees if they block projects wrongly. Supporters say it’s about building where people already live, but critics fear it’s forcing bad deals to avoid lawsuits. The state’s pushing hard — and towns are scrambling to figure out how to play by the new rules.

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