HB1016

NH lacks affordable housing. To limit a viable means of providing housing and community is against community interests.

I become a homeowner of a mobile home in 2016 as part of my plan to downsize and be debt free when I was to retire in 2020. I knew my retirement income would not be able to support a stress less lifestyle if I was to maintain ownership/mortgage on my 2 bedroom home that I bought in 2000. My mobile home is bigger and more affordable as well as situated in a very nice community of like minded individuals. I can afford, with my partner, to maintain my home to high standards and live comfortably in this environment.

"HB 1016 increases municipal discretion over housing policy but carries significant risks of exacerbating housing insecurity and systemic inequities. Vulnerable populations including low-income families, racial and ethnic minorities, single parents, and individuals with disabilities may experience disproportionate harm. While the bill protects municipal autonomy, trauma-informed and intersectional analysis highlights the need for statewide safeguards to ensure equitable access to manufactured housing. Partisan Implications: The bill may reflect partisan priorities emphasizing local control and deregulation, aligning with conservative legislative agendas while potentially disadvantaging marginalized populations reliant on affordable housing (Pendall et al., 2012). Key Takeaways for Policymakers: Balance local control with protections for vulnerable populations. Implement reporting and accountability measures to prevent inequitable housing access. Consider long-term social, psychological, and economic impacts of restricting manufactured housing. "

My wife (Vickie) and I moved in two years ago to Heron Point Estates Cooperative. I had always lived in a brick and mortar home so I wasn't sure what to expect from mobile home living. We attended a few meetings and the co-op made us feel right at home. I love the camaraderie of our new neighbors and the wildlife that visits our back yard. The size of our lots and the facilities are great. With the New Hampshire housing crisis I feel that now more than ever co-op's is the way to affordable housing and if this bill passes it will limit the amount of New Co-Op's in New Hampshire. I do not support HB1007.

Honorable Chair and Members of the Committee, My name is Amanda Sanchez, and I am a resident of a resident-owned manufactured housing community in Plainfield, New Hampshire. I have lived in New Hampshire for most of my life and come from a family with deep roots in the state. I work in healthcare. I strongly oppose HB 1016. New Hampshire faces a significant housing shortage, with an estimated need for 50,000–60,000 additional housing units by 2030. Manufactured housing is among the most affordable and attainable forms of homeownership, and policies that restrict it directly undermine the state’s ability to meet this growing demand. This bill would make it harder for working families and younger generations to achieve homeownership by limiting reasonable opportunities to own manufactured homes. At a time when housing affordability is already out of reach for many, removing or restricting this option moves us backward. If anything, New Hampshire should advance policies that expand access to manufactured housing across all cities and towns, not limit it. This legislation ultimately favors higher-income interests while reinforcing outdated and harmful stereotypes about manufactured housing. These homes provide safe, stable, and affordable housing for thousands of New Hampshire residents and are an essential part of the state’s housing ecosystem. I respectfully urge the committee to oppose HB 1016. Thank you for your time and consideration. Amanda Sanchez

I oppose this bill as it goes even further than HB 1007. If HB 1007 is a step back in the rong direction, than this is a leap. If this bill passes, homes like mine could be banned outright simply becausethey were not build on-site. As a NH resident and a manufactured home owner I am deeply upset. My home is not less than any other simply because its manufactured. I not only live in a manufactured home but 3 of my 7 children do also. Due to their afforability my son was able to go to college and obtain 2 degrees and my other 2 sons were able to open a successful machine shop in NH. If they had to pay the rents that are out there now that would not have been able to happen. IMO any home site built or not can fall to ruin if not cared for. My home was made in 1969 and is beautiful. My community is close to eveerything I could ever need. I have a little yard and deck. It's all on one floor which is helpful now that I am getting older. I urge you to OPPOSE HB 1016. Thank you, Pam Rothgaber

• I am writing today to urge you to oppose HB 1016, a bill to eliminate the requirement that municipalities allow for any opportunity for manufactured housing opportunities. • Earlier today, you discussed HB 1007, a bill to weaken the same law. This bill goes even further than HB 1007 to eliminate that law. • If HB 1007 is a step back in the wrong direction, this is a leap. • If this bill were to pass, homes like mine could be banned outright simply because they were not built on-site. • As a NH-resident, manufactured-home owner and Operations Manager of Fox Hill Cooperative, Resident Owned Community in Franconia, I urge you to consider what this can do to existing and future home owners. • My home is not less than, simply because it’s manufactured o It is the place I hosted my family for Thanksgiving, celebrated the New Year, etc. o I love where I live, it’s close to my grandchild, who's parents own a home in our community also. Franconia is a highly sought after town with not many options for affordable home ownership. I work hard every day at a volunteer position as Operations Manager to make sure this opportunity exists for anyone who would like to become a homeowner. o This community is a place I am proud of and I’m proud to be a homeowner • I urge you to OPPOSE HB 1016

My name is Frank Boudreau and I would like to register my opposition to HB 1016. My wife and I have lived in Goffstown over 35 years during which we owned a couple of 'traditional construction' homes and raised 2 daughters, who graduated from Goffstown High School. After retiring in 2019, we sold our large home on 2 acres and 'down-sized', buying a 1700sf manufactured home located in the Medvil Cooperative in Goffstown, a 55+ community of 300 manufactured housing units with 450 residents occupying 154 acres in a country environment. Like many retirees, we wanted a place that was affordable on a fixed income, had adequate space for 2 people, and relatively low maintenance. Moving into our new home satisfied all of these needs. The Medvil Cooperative (see www.medvilcooperative.com) is a 20 year-old non-profit, resident-owned community (ROC) managed by a 9-member volunteer Board of Directors with a goal of providing its members a safe and affordable living environment. It is one of 153 Resident-Owned Cooperatives (ROCs) in New Hampshire established and supported through the NH Community Loan Fund. The success of our Medvil Cooperative was recognized recently when it had the honor of hosting the Governor and Executive Council breakfast meeting on September 17, 2025. I am proud to be a resident of this community and an active member of its current Board of Directors. How can passage of this bill help promote more housing opportunities at a time when housing demand far out-strips supply and pushes the price of available stock to unattainable levels for most New Hampshire citizens? In my opinion, the passage of HB 1016 would severely limit and/or end altogether local efforts to build manufactured housing communities like Medvil, let alone enable individual first-time home buyers, fixed-income retirees, or low/moderate income workers acquire and install modern manufactured housing units on a viable lot or property. I do not see a compelling or urgent reason to eliminate the requirement for towns and cities to allow for manufactured housing development. Without this requirement, local planning or zoning boards could simply ignore reasonable proposals to bring in affordable, high-quality housing into their communities at a time when our housing shortages are acute. Thank you for your consideration.

This bill would severely restrict the rights of homeowners to choose the type of home they want to live in. As a retiree who has lived in NH for the past 54 years, I have seen the cost of housing skyrocket preventing many taxpayers from owning a home. My husband and I live in a resident owned community which enables us to afford to remain in the extremely expensive seacoast region. After downsizing for retirement, we sought a single-story home that is easy to maintain, affordable to heat, offers privacy and a predictable/affordable cost. We love living in our manufactured home. We even have a private yard where we can play with our dogs. We are able to walk to downtown or nature trails right from our doorstep. In the “Live Free or Die” state I am appalled that someone is trying to dictate what type of home we can choose. Our state should be investigating more available options to address the drastic housing shortage, not restricting taxpayers’ right to choose from among very few affordable ways to live in New Hampshire.

I urge you to oppose HB 1007 - I am a Manufactured home owner since 1989, I believe this is one of the best decisions I've made concerning my home in my lifetime.

TO: Honorable Chair and members of the Committee, From: Anita Wise, NH Resident for the first 45 years of my life - moved back for the past 10 years. I would never of been able to move back to NH without the lower cost of a Manufactured Home. Growing up I looked at manufactured housing as a last resort. Now being a manufactured home owner I have changed my mind, I am very happy and comfortable with my home. I had thought of it as nothing but a tin can but I can assure you it is a safer and much better home than some stick built homes I have been in. Please do not restrict responsible homeowners from the ability to stay or return to NH. Manufactured homes are safe and pleasing to the eye. I am proud to be a Manufactured Home owner, I urge you to OPPOSE HB 1016 Thank you, Anita

I oppose this bill, everyone in New Hampshire should have fare and affordable housing options.

I live in a Manufactured Home and you need people like me who cannot afford to pay for a house Manufactured Homes are more affordable please let us beginning to be able to put these homes on land or in the Cooperative Parks

Manufactured housing is so important for the people of New Hampshire. In a world where prices are so high many families can't even afford food, we absolutely should not be limiting access to affordable housing. I purchased my Manufactured home, located in a Resident Owned Community, in May of 2024. I can say firsthand, if it wasn't for the affordability of Manufactured housing, there is no chance I would be a homeowner, especially not at the age of 24. New Hampshire residents cannot afford to have this option stripped away from them. Instead, we should be doing everything possible to protect and encourage these affordable housing options.

• I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 1016, a bill to eliminate the requirement that municipalities allow for any opportunity for manufactured housing opportunities. • Earlier you discussed HB 1007, a bill to weaken the same law. This bill goes even further than HB 1007 to eliminate that law. • If HB 1007 is a step back in the wrong direction, this is a leap. • If this bill were to pass, homes like mine could be banned outright simply because they were not built on-site. • As a NH-resident and manufactured-home owner I am deeply disappointed and concerned. • My home is not ‘less than’ simply because it was not manufactured on-site. • I can tell you if you were to go into my home you would not know it was not built on-site. • I love my home and living in the park community. It was affordable at a time I was working at a low wage yet I was still able to buy it. • Being a Homeowner is something I’m proud of and think it unfair to take away from others the opportunity to be able to do the same. • For these reasons, I urge you to OPPOSE HB 1016.

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