New Hampshire
N.H. housing crisis: How Governor-elect Kelly Ayotte says she’ll tackle it – The Boston Globe
“You can get stuck in one place or the other, and you can languish there for a while,” she said. “We all know that if that happens, money dries up, opportunity dries up, especially when we’re thinking about an interest rate environment like you’ve been in that makes a big difference in terms of how you can finance the project.”
She pointed to four state agencies where housing developments can get delayed: the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Services, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and the Department of Cultural and Natural Resources.
“Unfortunately, there’s no one system,” she said. “There’s not congruency between all those agencies.”
Ayotte also said she will look at different financing structures that have been successful in other states, such as commercial property assessed clean energy, or CPACE, where building owners borrow money for energy efficiency, renewable energy, or other projects and repay it through an assessment on their property tax bill.
It doesn’t require upfront costs and can be used to finance new construction, retrofits and rehabilitation, Mansoor Ghori, a C-PACE provider explained in Forbes.
It’s increasingly being used to fund the construction of new buildings, according to the US Department of Energy. There is enabling legislation in 40 states and D.C. and 32 states and D.C. have active programs, according to PACE Nation.
Senator Daniel Innis, a Bradford Republican, has requested legislation on the topic that Ayotte said she will be watching.
The housing crisis Ayotte is inheriting remains challenging.
New Hampshire is among the top 10 states for rising housing prices, according to Katy Easterly Martey, executive director of the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority who also serves on the New Hampshire Council on Housing Stability.
“When you have rising housing prices as acutely and quickly as we’ve had here in New Hampshire, we’re going to have rising housing instability, a lot in the form of homelessness,” Easterly Martey said.
She said housing instability will continue to rise for a few more years, until the supply of housing catches up with demand. And she said the cost of providing shelter has increased since the pandemic because there are fewer volunteers providing services.
“The cost of providing shelter and the complexity of doing so in a meaningful way has really increased,” she said.
In the past three years, there has been little to no change in the amount of buildable area for most kinds of housing, according to the latest data from the New Hampshire Zoning Atlas, a statewide database and interactive map on zoning laws.
“In most communities in New Hampshire, it’s still difficult to build anything but large-lot, single family homes,” said Noah Hodgetts, a principal planner at the N.H. Department of Business and Economic Affairs.
He said the solution is for communities to change their zoning and make it easier to build smaller, more affordable homes on smaller lots.
Recent polling found that a majority of respondents want the state to push communities to make it easier to develop housing: 63 percent of New Hampshire voters agreed, showing “growing skepticism about local control,” according to a 2024 statewide survey from Saint Anselm.
Ayotte made clear her approach to working with local communities will involve more carrot than stick.
“If the state models good behavior, it’s a lot easier for me to say to local planning and zoning and going, like, listen, we’re modeling good behavior. How do we work with you to make sure you’re modeling good behavior too in your communities,” she said.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.
Recently, I met with a husband who had been caring for his wife since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Her needs were escalating quickly — appointments, medications, meals, personal care — and he was determined to keep her at home. But the cost to his own wellbeing was undeniable. He was sleep‑deprived, depressed, and beginning to experience cognitive decline himself.
As director of the Referral Education Assistance & Prevention (REAP) program at Seacoast Mental Health Center, which supports older adults and caregivers across New Hampshire in partnership with the CMHC’s across the state, I hear stories like his every week. And his experience is far from unique.
Across the country, 24% of adults are family caregivers. Here in New Hampshire, 281,000 adults provide this essential care, often with little preparation or support. Only 11% receive any formal training to manage personal care tasks — yet they are the backbone of our long‑term care system, helping aging parents, spouses, and loved ones remain safely at home. (AARP, 2025)
REAP provides short‑term counseling, education, and support for older adults, caregivers, and the professionals who support them. We address concerns around mental health, substance use and cognitive functioning. After 21 years working with caregivers, I have seen how inadequate support directly harms families. Caregiving takes a serious toll — emotionally, physically, socially and financially. Many experience depression, chronic stress, and increased risk of alcohol or medication misuse.
In REAP’s own data from 2024:
- 50% of caregivers reported moderate to severe depression
- 29% reported suicidal ideation in the past two weeks
- 25% screened positive for at‑risk drinking
Their responsibilities go far beyond tasks like medication management and meal preparation. They interpret moods, manage behavioral changes, ease emotional triggers, and create meaningful engagement for the person they love. Their world revolves around the care recipient — often leading to isolation, loss of identity, guilt, and ongoing grief.
The statistics reflect what I see every week. Nearly one in four caregivers feels socially isolated. Forty‑three percent experience moderate to high emotional stress. And 31% receive no outside help at all.
Compare that to healthcare workers, who work in teams, receive breaks, have coworkers who step in when overwhelmed, and are trained and compensated for their work. Even with these supports, burnout is common. Caregivers receive none of these protections yet are expected to shoulder the same level of responsibility — alone, unpaid, and unrecognized.
Senate Bill 608 in New Hampshire would finally begin to fill these gaps. The bill provides access to counseling, peer support, training, and caregiver assessment for family caregivers of individuals enrolled in two Medicaid waiver programs: Acquired Brain Disorder (ABD) and Choices for Independence (CFI). These services would address the very needs I see daily.
Professional counseling helps caregivers process the complex emotions of watching a loved one decline or manage the stress that comes with it. Peer support connects them with others navigating similar challenges. Caregiver assessment identifies individual needs before families reach crisis.
When caregivers receive the right support, everyone benefits. The care recipient receives safer, more compassionate care. The caregiver’s health stabilizes instead of deteriorating from chronic stress and neglect. And costly options, which many older adults want to avoid, are delayed or prevented.
There is a direct and measurable link between caregiver training and caregiver wellbeing. The spouse I mentioned earlier is proof. Through REAP, he received education about his wife’s diagnosis, guidance on communication and behavior, and strategies to manage his own stress. Within weeks, his depression decreased from moderate to mild without medication. He was sleeping through the night and thinking more clearly. His frustration with his wife dropped significantly because he finally understood what she was experiencing and how to respond compassionately.
The real question before lawmakers is not whether we can afford SB 608. It is whether we can afford to continue ignoring the needs of those who hold our care system together. In 1970, we had 31 caregivers for every one person needing care. By 2010, that ratio dropped to 7:1. By 2030, it is projected to be 4:1. Our caregiver supply is shrinking while needs continue to grow. Without meaningful support, our systems — healthcare, long‑term care, and community supports — cannot function. (AARP, 2013)
Caregivers don’t ask for much. They want to keep their loved ones safe, comfortable, and at home. They want to stay healthy enough to continue providing care. SB 608 gives them the tools to do exactly that.
I urge New Hampshire lawmakers to support SB 608 and stand with the 281,000 residents who are quietly holding our care system together. We cannot keep waiting until caregivers collapse to offer help. We must provide the support they need now — before the burden becomes too heavy to bear.
Anne Marie Sirrine, LICSW, CDP is a staff therapist and the director of the REAP (Referral Education Assistance & Prevention) program at Seacoast Mental Health Center.
New Hampshire
Rep. Joe Alexander Files Term Limits Resolution in New Hampshire – Term Limit Congress
The New Hampshire Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
15-28-57-58-63, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
05-14-15-21-39, Lucky Ball: 10
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
Day: 1-5-7
Evening: 0-1-4
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
Day: 6-8-6-9
Evening: 7-8-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Megabucks Plus numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
03-08-13-33-40, Megaball: 04
Check Megabucks Plus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Gimme 5 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing
16-19-21-25-34
Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the New Hampshire Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. and 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Megabucks Plus: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a New Hampshire managing editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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