Splaine: Real affordable housing opportunities for Portsmouth

An excellent story by reporter Ian Lenahan of this newspaper recently detailed an exciting project by owners of Woodbury Cooperative, which is a resident-owned home community on Woodbury Avenue.

As explained in the story, owners of the 10 existing homes in the park, which several years ago became one of many statewide that are resident-owned cooperatives, are adding locations for five additional homes. The result will be affordable housing costing far less than even so-called "workforce housing," and will provide quality home living and ownership for new residents.

First, a disclaimer, since this column is also about where I live. There are three of what have for too long been known as "trailer," or "mobile home parks" in Portsmouth. The other two are Hillcrest Estates off Lafayette Road and Oriental Gardens on Woodbury Avenue close to the Newington town line.

With the exception of those living in Woodbury Cooperative, Hillcrest and Oriental residents, myself included, do not own the land on which homes stand. Land is rented to the homeowners. The landlord pays property taxes on the land; the homeowners pay taxes on their homes. Homes vary in size, quality, age and cost, but all are priced way less than "stick-built" homes that have holes in the ground.

I don't call them "trailers" or "mobile homes," because they're certainly not mobile once they're located (in my case, the tires are totally rotted away), and a lot of us don't prefer the term "manufactured homes."  Either term gives a stigma that is misleading and makes expansion more difficult. They're "homes." I think most of us living in any part of our city appreciate "location, location, location" more than whether we have an underground basement.

Six years ago, reporter Jeff McMenemy visited me at my home and wrote these observations: Home sweet home (seacoastonline.com)

More: Home sweet home: Splaine urges end of trailer park, mobile home terms

In the case of residents of Woodbury Cooperative, several years ago their landlord was about to sell. The residents took the opportunity to work with the N.H. Community Loan Fund to put together finances necessary to meet the purchase price. Thus, with innovation and creative minds, they became homeowners who now own their land.

More: Portsmouth manufactured homeowners adding affordable homes to neighborhood. Here's how.

Together, not unlike those who are part of a condo or housing association, each pays fees that include use of common areas, snow removal and garbage collection. As reported in the story, they also share in property taxes and financial management of the co-op.

Ian Lenahan also reported, "According to the Community Loan Fund, Woodbury Cooperative is one of 143 resident-owned communities in New Hampshire. Among all the communities, there are almost 8,700 affordable homes." By the way, that fund is available for residents of other parks in the event that their landlords decide to sell, and has become one way affordable housing can remain throughout the state, despite greatly increasing housing costs.

Portsmouth should explore ways to expand opportunities for placement of individual homes throughout the city, and more small home parks. While land is scarce and pricey, partnerships with businesses especially in areas outside of the immediate downtown could be created to allow the placement of homes that can provide housing for employees and residents. This doesn't have to be a subsidized housing effort, but partnership with the Portsmouth Housing Authority could be explored. They have creative expertise at making affordable housing a reality.

An online Google Search can reveal the high quality and low-cost of homes ranging from micro-residential of 400 square feet to well over 1,000 square feet, all without having to dig holes in the ground. Thus, with city cooperation, permitting could be simplified and the long-term impact on land can be negligible. 

Many people, especially those in our service businesses who if they're lucky may make $20 an hour, and our seniors and empty-nesters, cannot afford high rents or mortgages, and what is priced at $1,300 a month today might well be twice that in three or four years. Exploring what already works in Portsmouth for hundreds of our residents at Woodbury Cooperative, Hillcrest Estates, and Oriental Gardens makes sense.

We can learn from one another, and from our fellow residents. Let's encourage a conversation.

Today's Quote:  "Location, location, location."  – a mantra for housing as well as businesses.

Next Time:  The Case For "Portsmouth, Natural State."

Jim Splaine has served variously since 1969 as Portsmouth assistant mayor, Police Commissioner, and School Board member, as well as N.H. state senator and representative.  He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouth@gmail.com

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Splaine: Real affordable housing opportunities for Portsmouth, NH