Adds expiration of a 12-month-or-longer lease term as grounds for eviction, provided the landlord gives 60 days' written notice and files within 6 months, and specifies such a no-fault termination is not treated as an eviction on tenant screening reports.
relative to the termination of tenancy at the expiration of the tenancy or lease term.
HB60 would let a landlord end a tenancy without stating a cause once the lease term expires. All 83 written submissions received oppose the bill, arguing chiefly that it would worsen New Hampshire's housing and homelessness crisis, disproportionately harm vulnerable renters, and let landlords mask discriminatory or retaliatory evictions behind a lease's natural expiration; no submissions in support of the bill were shown.
Many submitters argue that allowing no-cause evictions at lease-end would push more people into homelessness and strain an already severe housing shortage and low vacancy rates statewide.
“This bill would strip protections from NH resident renters and the result will be an increase in family homelessness.”
— Loretta Brady, Manchester · #339021 — read full submission →
“With New Hampshire showing by far the greatest increase in homelessness across the U.S. at over 50%, and with a statewide vacancy rate in NH of only 0.6%, it is reckless folly to bring forward HB60.”
— Lois Cote, Manchester · #340801 — read full submission →
Submitters argue no-cause eviction would fall hardest on elderly, disabled, low-income, and other vulnerable tenants, who face the greatest difficulty finding replacement housing and the most severe consequences from losing it.
“This bill would exacerbate such inequities by allowing landlords to evict tenants without cause at the end of the lease. For people like me, this could lead to homelessness, stripping away the stability necessary to maintain health and dignity.”
— Carolina Berluzconi, Peterborough · #343230 — read full submission →
“HB 60 passing would undoubtedly result in discriminatory evictions and will have a disproportionate impact on older adults, people with disabilities, BIPOC folks, and people with fewer resources.”
— Sofia Hyatt, Portsmouth · #337951 — read full submission →
Submitters argue that because no reason must be given, no-cause eviction at lease-end would let landlords disguise illegal, discriminatory, or retaliatory motives, and would discourage tenants from asserting their legal rights for fear of non-renewal.
Submitters argue current New Hampshire law already lists well-defined, sufficient grounds for eviction, so a no-cause provision is unnecessary and only tips the balance further toward landlords.
Submitters argue a lease should be a stable, mutually binding agreement, and that tenants who pay on time and cause no problems should be able to expect renewal rather than eviction merely because a date on the calendar arrived.
“Tenants who have paid their rent on time and have not been a problem for their neighbors or the landlord have a reasonable expectation that the lease will be renewed.”
— Michael Cahill, Newmarket · #344565 — read full submission →
“If a tenant has to abide by a lease, then the landlord should also be bound by the lease terms as well.”
— Cynthia Coughlin, Merrimack · #344993 — read full submission →
Submitters argue landlords could use no-cause eviction at lease-end to remove paying tenants simply to re-rent at a higher price, driving up rents overall.
“Also, it will cause housing prices to increase. They'll just toss people out when the lease ends, so they can jack up the price considerably.”
— Darla Bruno, Lebanon · #346079 — read full submission →
“There are too many instances where landlords choose to evict people when their lease is up so they can increase rents.”
— Carol Sanborn, Sanbornton · #344997 — read full submission →
A small number of submitters frame the bill as a violation of constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures or the Due Process Clause.
“HB 60 is in direct violation of Article Six of The Constitution. It grants citizens the "right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures."”
— Taylor Barry, Nashua · #344019 — read full submission →
“This bill goes against a tenant’s rights under the respective terms of the lease as well as under the Due Process Clause in the Bill of Rights to the US CONSTITUTION….!”
— John Griffin, Hooksett · #351735 — read full submission →
A few submitters argue that the 60-day notice period the bill would allow is not enough time to find alternative housing given how scarce and expensive rentals already are.
“With the shortage of affordable housing in NH, 60 days is not enough time to find alternative housing, seemingly with this bill, opening the doors to homelessness.”
— Linda Harriott-Gathright, Nashua · #352125 — read full submission →
“In this current housing crisis- 60 days is not adequate timing to find rental housing.”
— Jane Shanahan, Stratham · #338563 — read full submission →
A couple of submitters suggest the bill favors landlord interests and question whether legislators who are themselves landlords should be involved in deciding it.
“And any landlord should be automatically blocked from voting on this bill, in Committee or on the House Floor.”
— Jan Schmidt, Nashua · #336985 — read full submission →
“Was this bill proposed by someone who is a landlord? It seems excessively punitive.”
— Patricia Steward, 03301 · #343968 — read full submission →
Some submitters argue that even at lease-end, a landlord should be required to give tenants, especially long-term or otherwise good tenants, an explanation before ending the tenancy.
“I am sympathetic to a landlord who wants to move out a difficult tenant but there needs to be a reason for a landlord to move out a tenant especially a long term tenant,”
— Marc Lacroix, Concord · #342702 — read full submission →
“People who have been good tenants deserve an explanation and a chance to find acceptable alternative housing without becoming homeless.”
— Donna Ireland, Newbury · #347007 — read full submission →
Generated by claude-sonnet-5 (claude code agent) on Jul 22, 2026. Quotes are verbatim excerpts, verified against the cited submission before publication. Summaries are AI interpretation of the record, not part of it.
To The Chair and Committe Members, As tenants navigate the laws and regulations, they also have a responsibility to have living quarters. With the shortage of affordable housing in NH, 60 days is not enough time to find alternative housing, seemingly with this bill, opening the doors to homelessness. Rep. Harriott-Gathright Hills 10
This bill goes against a tenant’s rights under the respective terms of the lease as well as under the Due Process Clause in the Bill of Rights to the US CONSTITUTION….!
Please do not allow this bill to pass. I am disabled and have lived in the same rental apt. for 11 years and cannot afford to be evicted. Landlords should honor a rental contract signed in good faith.
If this bill passes, I as a person with mental health issues, I would be nervous i would lose my housing. I am a good tenant who had an issue the someone uunderneath me and had to file a restraining order. Because I brought this individual to court, I fear if this may a cause for the property manager to evict me. This bill is wrong for NH & it's constituents. I pay everything on time and mind my own business. I strongly oppose HB60
Landlords have plenty of options if they want to evict a tenant for cause. This is a terrible idea that could make homelessness worse and would likely be used by landlords to increase already usurious rates further.
Loosening eviction laws to make it easier for landlords to evict tenants will only exacerbate our housing crisis. I volunteer at a warming shelter for those who are without housing. It is so sad to see so many who are struggling to just find a warm place to sleep for the night. Rebecca MacKenzie, Claremont
Landlord protections are already sufficient in New Hampshire, offering apple support. The bill HB 60 opens up the ability for landlords to discriminate against vulnerable populations like the elderly, disabled, families, & others. Having to switch housing when you've been a good tenant especially when vulnerable can add to our homelessness crisis in New Hampshire, some of the highest rates in the country, therefore I highly oppose HB 60.
Housing is a basic human need. If we do not have housing, the cost to the individual and society just escalates uncontrollably.. Think of how little you would have and be unable to get without housing. Think about how debilitating it would be for an elderly person, disabled person, or low income person to find housing if evicted without a valid reason. Housing is already in short supply and this bill would add to homelessness unnecessarily. There has to be a happy medium here between tenants and landlords that treats each other with dignity, respect and truthfullness.
I oppose this bill because children will face disruptions to their education, adults will struggle to maintain employment, and municipalities will shoulder the burden of homelessness, which ultimately cost us taxpayers more money.
This will compound the housing crisis and is inhumane.
After reading the NHCEH presentation, I am deeply concerned about renters in NH who are facing possible eviction for no cause if this bill is passed. Many, especially the elderly, are facing increases in the price of gas, food and other living essentials. They should not have to be worrying about losing a roof over their head for no cause.
This HB 60 threatens to remove these protections by allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason when their lease ends. This could exacerbate the ongoing homelessness crisis and negatively impact the health of Granite State children, adults.
This Bill could exacerbate the ongoing homelessness crisis and negatively impact the health of Granite State children and adults with disabilities and their families.
I oppose this bill, HB60, on termination of tenancy. This amounts to a forced eviction, and would contribute to the homelessness which is currently a huge problem. In New Hampshire we already have high housing costs and a housing shortage. Please don't pass this bill!
I'm signing in today to oppose HB 60 because it addresses a problem that simply doesn’t exist. There are already sufficient mechanisms in place for landlords to evict tenants when necessary. As a disabled, single mother of a 17-year-old autistic son, I know firsthand how precarious housing can be. If this bill passes, it would make our home even less secure and create more opportunities for discrimination. For families like mine, the consequences of this bill could be devastating. If our landlord chose not to renew our lease simply because the contract ended, where would we go? Would we have 30 days? 60 days? Waiting lists for deeply affordable housing stretch from months to years, leaving families like ours with no viable options to remain in New Hampshire. It took my son and me nine months to find our current home while living in an unsafe situation. We don’t have the luxury of taking nine months to search again. Just last summer, my 80-year-old mother was evicted from her longtime apartment in Rochester due to renovations. She was given 60 days, but it wasn’t enough. She’s now 900 miles away in North Carolina. My son and I miss her dearly and mourn the loss of her presence in our lives, unsure if we’ll ever see her again. This is not the right time for HB 60—not for New Hampshire families, not for older adults, not for disabled single parents like me, and not for individuals with developmental disabilities like my son. I worry every day about his future and whether he’ll be able to make his home here. If this bill passes, it would hurt my family and so many others in our community. Please, do not let this bill move forward.
People who have been good tenants deserve an explanation and a chance to find acceptable alternative housing without becoming homeless. The housing crisis will only be exacerbated by this bill.
Current New Hampshire Landlord/Tenant law balances the interests of both parties. "Mom-and-Pop" landlords who live in the building already have the ability to evict without stating a cause. Commercial landlords should adhere to equitable standards to state a permissible cause even at the end of a lease term. If passed,, this bill will exacerbate the affordable housing crisis and further burden our cities and towns.
Housing Committee Members -- As a NH clergyperson with the United Church of Christ (NH's largest Protestant denomination), who sees the problem of homelessness and housing instability on a daily basis, I fervently urge you to reject HB 60 and swiftly find it ITL. As I am sure each Housing Committee knows well, NH has a housing access crisis. Decent and affordable (and even not-so-affordable) rental housing is almost impossible to come by. I hope it is clear to you that IF it becomes the law of the state that any landlord can evict any tenant, with NO reason whatsoever, at the end of a lease, this will just exacerbate the numbers of families and individuals "on the streets" looking for housing that is simply not there. The new Housing Committee of the NH House of Representatives was established in recognition that housing access in NH is a serious problem deserving of positive and focused legislative attention. It was not meant to make the problem worse (which HB 60 certainly would do!). Rental landlords in NH now have multiple protections allowing them to evict tenants for certain specific causes. HB 60 does not address any gap in these protections; it is just a sweeping proposal to make life infinity more insecure and unstable for all those who rent. Again, please ITL this bill! Thank you for your service to the State of NH. Sincerely -- Rev. Dr. Gail Kinney, Canaan, NH
Testimony Opposing HB 60, relative to the termination of tenancy at the expiration of the tenancy or lease term Good morning, Chairman Alexander and honorable members of the committee. I am Claudia Istel, resident of Acworth, and member of the Economic Justice Team of the NH Conference of the United Church of Christ, and am here on behalf of our Economic Justice Team to speak against HB 60. The United Church of Christ, formerly known as Congregationalists, is the largest Protestant denomination in New Hampshire, representing 140,000 congregants. Economic justice for all Granite Staters is an important tenet of our denomination. Shelter is a basic human need, and the right to housing is included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Secure housing is important to well-being. An address allows people to apply for jobs and services more easily. Having housing is necessary to maintaining health, for hygiene and self-care so one is clean for work or school, to feeling secure in being part of the community. To be self-reliant, independent, contributing members of society, people need a home base that offers safety, protection from the elements, freedom to personalize their living space, a place to care for their family, proximity to work, a place to be part of a community with neighbors, local schools, and social groups. If they are elders, they want the security of being in familiar surroundings. If they are a family with children, they want their children to stay in their neighborhood, with their friends, in the same school. If they have family members with special needs, they want to stay in a safe, accessible place, close to necessary services. They also want secure housing so there is one less stress in their lives, so they can focus on work, school, family relations. Secure housing is good for the tenants and for their communities. This bill allows tenants to be evicted at the end of their lease without any reason. It adds enormous stress to tenants’ lives. They have to worry about whether or not they will be able to stay in a home that meets their needs, is close to their work, allows their children to remain in the same school and activities or if they will be uprooted with short notice. They worry about reporting anything wrong with the dwelling lest their landlord retaliate against them by not renewing their lease. They worry that their age, gender, sexual orientation, special needs, or anything else might make them lose their housing, even if the discrimination is illegal. They worry that being arbitrarily evicted, even if they have kept up with rental payments and followed all the landlord’s rules, will make it harder for them to find another rental or might cause them to lose any housing benefit they receive. Tenants worried about being punished for complaining may not report needed repairs, which could increase the cost to the landlord for not dealing with maintenance issues in a timely fashion. Passing this bill will be bad for the NH economy. With a 0.6% vacancy rate, there is little opportunity to find a new rental. With exorbitant housing prices and high rental costs, moving into a different housing situation is probably out of economic reach. This will lead to more and longer periods of being homeless. Homelessness in NH grew by 52% between 2022 and 2023. Homelessness is unsightly so municipalities force homeless out of parks and off city sidewalks, blaming the victim. Worse, homelessness is a societal and moral failure. Furthermore, it’s expensive. Municipalities are required to care for the indigent, further stretching local budgets. This causes further increases in property taxes, which are already straining property owners, particularly those on fixed incomes. We need to find solutions to housing, not exacerbate the difficulties. There are already laws allowing landlords to evict tenants who do not pay their rent, do not follow the rules, or destroy property. Both tenants and landlords need to have their rights protected. This bill would deteriorate the fabric of community for everyone. We urge the committee to vote HB60 inexpedient to legislate.
As a former practicing real estate attorney involved with eviction proceedings in NH, I do not understand the motivation behind this bill. NH landlord-tenant law has had more than 4 decades of tenant protections in place that this proposed law would unwind, leaving good paying tenants with no option but to face eviction without cause amidst a housing crisis. Landlords are not without reasonable grounds to end a tenancy in due course under existing law. And, I believe this legislation would upend federal common law as it pertains real estate possession. I urge the committee to ITL this zombie bill as the Senate still doesn’t want it.
I believe that landlords should be required to provide a reason for evicting tenants. Under New Hampshire's current laws, all valid reasons for eviction are already well-defined, including non-payment of rent, violation of lease terms, and illegal activity. There's simply no need to introduce a provision that allows landlords to evict tenants without cause at the end of a lease. Allowing no-cause evictions would create unnecessary instability for renters, particularly those who are good tenants but may face eviction simply due to a landlord's personal preference or other arbitrary reasons. If landlords are allowed to terminate a lease without justification, tenants could face uncertainty and insecurity without any opportunity to address concerns or resolve issues. There’s no valid reason why a landlord should not be required to provide a reason when terminating a lease. Existing laws already provide ample grounds for eviction, and adding a no-cause provision would only undermine the protections tenants deserve. It’s important to maintain a balance that ensures fairness for both tenants and landlords, and this bill moves us in the wrong direction.
This is not the time for this bill. Maybe in a normal housing market. Not now. For the sake of the economy, business like this is not a transaction but a relationship.. Tenants need security. What of someone opened a child care facility only to have a landlord change their mind.? Housing is the foundation of a stable economy and good landlords are the backbone of a stable economy, so please pass legislation that adds stability.
This is going to put a lot of people on the street given how difficult it is to find housing in this state. Also, it will cause housing prices to increase. They'll just toss people out when the lease ends, so they can jack up the price considerably. Otherwise, there is no other reason to evict someone who is paying their rent.
With the housing crisis in NH and the homeless population growing, this bill would be a disaster for renters. If rent is paid on time and the renter complies with the lease, unless the property is for sale or needed for other business reasons, the landlord should have to give a reason for nonrenewal.
I find this bill totally unfair to a person or persons who have not done anything wrong or inappropriate but have been selected by the landlord for whatever reason and will be evicted. I can't believe that anyone that I have voted for or could vote for in the future could vote for this bill. This bill would make it possible for a landlord to evict people just because of their race, religion, ethnicity or other "reasons". Please do not allow this bill to pass ... itis offensive.