New Hampshire
Mayors say need is growing for state homelessness prevention funds – NH Business Review
The Hundred Nights shelter located in Keene. (Courtesy of Hundred Nights Inc.)
When homeless residents request housing assistance from Keene, the city must help, even when shelters are full. As the number of New Hampshire’s homeless has grown, that has become increasingly expensive.
During the fiscal year that ended in June 2023, Keene spent $568,000 to provide housing to people who could not get a shelter bed, most often by providing vouchers for hotel stays, Mayor Jay Kahn said in an interview Monday. Come June, when the current fiscal year ends, the city will have spent more than twice as much, $1.2 million. It is tapping into its reserve funds to do so.
And the city’s shelter, Hundred Nights, has its own financial constraints. The state pays about $20 per day for each person given a bed, says Executive Director Mindy Cambiar. But the actual cost to provide that bed is around $58, Cambiar said.
“(We get) less than half of what we spend per night per person for all the services that are provided,” she said.
It’s a widespread problem. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, cities and towns are increasingly struggling with their statutory responsibility to provide housing to those who need it, especially as federal rental aid programs have ended. Some say the state should do more to pitch in.
“This is exceeding the expectations of any city in the state,” said Kahn.
This year, Senate lawmakers are moving ahead with legislation to boost funding to homeless shelters in the state. But experts and housing advocates say more funding and effort is needed to help reduce the number of people who might need them in the first place.
“We’re creating these shelters, but we’re not creating any more beds,” said Sen. Donovan Fenton, D-Keene.
Senate Bill 406, as originally introduced, was intended to be a comprehensive bill to help cities reduce homelessness. Sponsored by Fenton, the bill would have required that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) create a pilot program to help create individualized service plans for families who are homeless. And the legislation would have devoted $5 million to the department to distribute to cities and towns for “eviction prevention, rehousing or shelter accommodation.”
After amendments by the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, the bill has since been changed to send $2.5 million to DHHS to raise the daily rate it pays to existing shelters in the state.
Shelter directors like Cambiar say they would appreciate the additional state funding. But Fenton and others say increasing funding to the shelters alone will not fix the root causes of homelessness, and will not add enough capacity to solve the crises. And they say cities will still be paying the cost for those who can’t get into the shelters.
The end of the emergency rental assistance program in early 2023, coupled with a persistently low vacancy rate and high prices for rental units, has pushed many to the brink of homelessness all at once, city officials say.
“We are meeting our statutory responsibilities at an unsustainably high cost to property taxpayers,” wrote Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais in a March letter to senators co-signed by nine other mayors, including Kahn, urging passage of the original SB 406. “We seek your support to lessening this cost and to finding equitable solutions that assist cities.”
The $2.5 million in the current iteration of the bill would allow the state to raise the per-day rate it pays shelters for each bed from the current $20 to $27. To Cambiar, the increase would help; the 48-bed shelter has been full almost every day since it opened in its new location last August. But it would not close the gap between what the state provides and what her shelter needs.
The shelter fills that gap through a mix of city funding, grant funding and private philanthropy. And Cambiar and her staff work hard to secure enough funding to create multiple months of reserves.
Lawmakers have helped. Years ago, the state paid only $8 per day, per bed. The current $20 per day came as part of a boost in funding for homeless shelters in the two-year budget passed in 2023. But Hundred Nights is facing a budget shortfall even with the increase.
“Right now, everybody — the board of directors and myself — we’ve been working overtime trying to figure out how we’re going to make up what is predicted to be the loss,” she said. “So I think that any additional funding would certainly be very helpful.”
To Kahn, a former Democratic state senator, the state should be spending more for shelter beds. But he said it should also be finding ways to alleviate the cost for cities, too. While Hundred Nights can use philanthropy and other sources to fill the gap, Keene City Hall has only its budget to provide its services.
“When the shelters are full, and there’s no option but to try to house the family in a hotel or some type of temporary condition, that burden shouldn’t fall exclusively to the municipalities,” he said.
Even those who want more state support for services to prevent homelessness admit that finding the right path forward is difficult.
As originally introduced, Fenton’s legislation gave broad latitude to the state on how best to spend the money to reduce homelessness. But early on, the Department of Health and Human Services had raised concerns about the distribution of money under the original bill. If the money were spread around to all cities and towns evenly, no one municipality would meaningfully benefit, Jenny O’Higgins, senior policy analyst for the department, said in an interview.
In order to better target the funds, DHHS and Fenton had considered instead using the “point-in-time count,” the annual night in January when DHHS oversees an attempt to calculate how many people are homeless that evening, and use it to spread the aid based on need.
Those discussions gave way to the Senate’s simpler approach: Direct all the money into the shelters. O’Higgins said that would help the shelters, even if the bill no longer includes funding for “upstream” services to reduce shelter use.
“As far as the department is concerned, an investment in homelessness services is good … regardless of where exactly along that continuum of care is invested,” O’Higgins said.
But she added that the state still needs a “multipronged approach” to address people in acute crisis.
“We need to serve people experiencing homelessness,” she said. “And at the same time, we need to be adequately looking at funding and having robust services for people who are at risk of homelessness.”
Not doing so, O’Higgins and others say, would simply cause the shelters to continue to overflow, no matter how much they grow.
“A shelter is not a long-term solution,” she said.
This story was originally produced by the New Hampshire Bulletin, an independent local newsroom that allows NH Business Review and other outlets to republish its reporting.
Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will meet in Islamabad today in an attempt to come up with a plan to de-escalate the Iran war.
The meeting comes as several thousand more U.S. troops arrived in the region and after another group got involved in the expanding conflict: Yemen’s Houthis.
The Iran-backed Houthis launched missiles towards Israel, and there’s concern their involvement could threaten another vital global shipping lane in the Red Sea.
Here are more updates on day 30 of the Iran war.
Diplomacy Push in Pakistan
The four foreign ministers from regional powers will meet in Islamabad today and Monday for a push towards diplomacy to end the war.
In a statement ahead of the meeting, the Egyptian government said: “Discussions are expected to focus on recent developments related to regional military escalation and ongoing diplomatic efforts to contain tensions and promote de-escalation.”
“The talks come amid heightened concerns about regional stability, with participating countries seeking to coordinate their stances and support political solutions to emerging crises,” it added.
Whether whatever consensus the countries known as “the quad” come up with will be accepted by the US, Israel, and Iran is another question.
Pakistan has emerged as a possible peace-broker in the conflict, passing messages between the U.S. and Tehran. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Saturday that “dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward.”
Dar also welcomed the fact Iran has agreed to allow 20 Pakistan-flagged ships – or two a day – through the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthis enter war
Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen launched the first missile they have fired since the war began toward Israel on Saturday. Israel’s military successfully intercepted it but the Houthis’ attack opens another front in a war that has now moved into its second month.
Up until Saturday’s missile launch the Houthis had stayed out of this war. But a Houthi spokesman said attacks will continue until “the aggression on all resistance fronts stops.”
Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AP
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AP
The Yemen-based rebels were active during Israel’s war in Gaza, firing on cargo ships in the Red Sea and disrupting global commercial traffic.
With Iran essentially blockading the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil prices, there are concerns that if the Houthis start attacking ships in the Red Sea again global shipping will be even more disrupted.
Iran also hit multiple sites around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Saturday and Israel’s military says Iran is increasingly using cluster bombs.
Designed to detonate at high altitude the munition disperses dozens of smaller bombs that are more challenging for Israel’s multi-layered air defense system to intercept and can cause damage over a wider area.
Dozens of countries have signed onto a cluster munitions treaty banning the weapons – except Iran, Israel and the U.S.
Iran threatens U.S. universities in region
Iranian authorities and residents say more airstrikes hit them overnight. Social media videos from across Iran showed strikes hitting all over the country.
Israel’s military said it had completed what it called a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting weapons production and storage sites.
Iran claims U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a Tehran university over the weekend and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened American university campuses in the Middle East in retaliation.
“We advise all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay a kilometer away from campuses, the statement, carried by Iranian media, said.
Several US universities have campuses in the Gulf, including New York University in the United Arab Emirates and Texas A&M University, among others, in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to fire drones and missiles at Gulf countries, with Kuwait saying it was intercepting missile and drone attacks early Sunday. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed ten drones.
Iran also claimed it had attacked two major aluminium sites in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Emirates Global Aluminium confirmed an Iranian attack wounded several and caused significant damage to its plant.
U.S. Troops injured, more arrive
At least 15 U.S. service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian strike on a Saudi air base that hosts American troops, according to the Associated Press, including at least five in serious condition. The missile and drone strikes targeted Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base, located outside the capital Riyadh.
Iran has targeted U.S. service members at bases throughout the region since the war began a month ago, in retaliation for the U.S. attacks and seeking to drive troops out of the region. Overall, the Pentagon has put the U.S. casualty toll at 13 killed and more than 300 injured.
On Saturday, troops from the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, made up of around 3,500 sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. military will not say where and how they might be deployed. Thousands more soldiers from the U.S. military’s 82nd Airborne Division are also expected to be deployed.
Journalists killed in Lebanon
Three Lebanese journalists covering the Israeli invasion of the country’s south were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Jezzine.
One of them worked for a TV channel affiliated with Hezbollah and Israel accuses him of being a militant rather than a journalist – but has not provided evidence. The journalist Israel says it targeted was Ali Shaeb, a veteran TV correspondent and household name in Lebanon. After killing him, Israel’s military issued a statement accusing him of exposing the locations of Israeli troops.
The other two journalists killed were siblings, TV correspondent Fatima Ftouni and her cameraman brother, Mohammed Ftouni. Afterward their father appeared on TV, saying he was proud of his children.
All three had been covering Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials called the attack a flagrant violation of international law, and said they’re complaining to the UN Security Council. Hundreds of fellow journalists marched at a protest vigil in Lebanon’s capital.
The three journalists were among at least 47 people killed Saturday in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese health officials.
Nine of those killed were paramedics, which the head of the World Health Organization called “a tragedy,” noting health workers are protected under international law.
Israel has intensified its attacks across Lebanon, mostly in the South, where Israeli ground troops are moving northward to try to oust Hezbollah militants.
Another Israeli soldier was also killed in Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing his condolences on X over the weekend.
Developments in Syria, Iraq
The war is spreading to more parts of the Middle East. On Sunday, Syria said it had intercepted a drone strike from Iraq targeting a U.S. military base. Pro-Iran Iraqi groups have claimed responsibility for some attacks on US interests.
Separately, the Syrian and UAE governments condemned an attack targeting the residence of the Kurdish region’s president Nechirvan Barzani.
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack saying: “The sovereignty of Iraq, and of Kurdistan within it, is essential to regional stability. Everything must be done to prevent Iraq from being drawn into the ongoing escalation.”
On Sunday, the Israeli army said it had launched its “first” attack into Lebanon from Syria.
Jane Arraf in Amman, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Lauren Frayer in Jezzine, Lebanon, Carrie Khan in Tel Aviv, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 NPR
New Hampshire
Abandoned Camper Fire On South Main Street Knocked Down By Concord Fire And Rescue Teams
CONCORD, NH — The Concord Fire Department is investigating the cause of a camper fire on South Main Street late Friday night.
Around 11:30 p.m., fire and rescue teams were sent to South Main Street, not far from Langdon Avenue, for a report of a camper on fire. Dispatch said it was unknown if anyone was inside or if the camper was abandoned.
“We have a couple of calls on it,” a dispatcher said. “It’s fully involved.”
A few minutes later, the fire was confirmed, and firefighters worked to extinguish it. The battalion commander confirmed no one was inside, and it appeared to be abandoned. Dispatch said, if they recalled correctly, the camper had been there for “quite a while.”
News 603 posted videos from the scene on Facebook here:
And here:
The bulk of the fire was knocked down after about 20 minutes, with firefighters overhauling and dealing with “the hot spots.”
Not long after the overhaul update, firefighters were sent to a business on South Main Street, near the camper fire, in response to a report of an alarm activation.
After investigating, there did not appear to be an activation at the business, a commander said. Later, dispatch said the alarm appeared to restore itself automatically. Firefighters cleared the scene of the business alarm just after midnight on Saturday.
A 20-story tall, 1.3 million-pound Atlas V rocket will blast off from Florida this weekend, and Granite Staters waking up very early might able to see it if the clouds in the sky don’t cover it.
Teams with United Launch Alliance are prepping for the Atlas V rocket launch, the fifth Amazon Leo constellation mission. Liftoff is planned at 3:53 a.m. ET Sunday, March 29, 2026, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Pending weather conditions and cloud cover, the Atlas V-Amazon Leo predawn launch could be visible from Florida to New England, according to ULA. That is, if their city falls on the ULA Atlas V rocket launch visibility map (see below), and if they’re awake at the time of liftoff.
The Atlas V rocket will be equipped with five solid rocket boosters to launch the next batch of Amazon Leo broadband satellites (previously referred to as Project Kuiper) into low-Earth orbit, giving a great show to those watching.
However, weather could disrupt viewing, as the New Hampshire area on the visibility map is set for isolated snow showers before 10 p.m. on Saturday night as well as partly cloudy skies, the National Weather Service said.
Here’s what to know about ULA Atlas V rocket launch visibility from New Hampshire.
When will ULA Atlas V launch?
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in the early morning hours on Sunday, March 29. The 29-minute launch window will begin at 3:53 a.m.
The visibility map provided by ULA shows about when and where your best chances are to see the rocket as it streaks northeasterly into space.
Will New Hampshire be able to see the ULA Atlas V launch
New Hampshire, specifically just outside Concord, New Hampshire, falls in the semi-outer periphery of the visibility area for the ULA Atlas V rocket launch, according to ULA’s visibility map.
Estimated visibility will occur at launch +330 seconds, or about five minutes and 30 seconds, following the launch in Florida. However, viewing chances depend on weather conditions, and Concord, New Hampshire is currently set for isolated snow showers before 10 p.m. and then partly cloudy skies on Saturday night into Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. This might block visibility, as clear skies are essential for best views.
What is ULA Atlas V?
United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket is a spacecraft with five solid rocket boosters that will send a batch of Amazon Leo broadband satellites into outer space, to low-Earth orbit.
How can you follow along live?
FLORIDA TODAY will offer live coverage via a live webcast with live tweets and updates for the rocket launch.
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