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Portsmouth residents urge housing, shelter and services as council and mayor pause tent-ban ordinance
Summary
Public commenters and council members at the Jan. 13 Portsmouth City Council meeting called for affordable, transitional and emergency housing and noted the tent-ban ordinance will not move forward for now; the mayor announced three immediate action steps from a recent meeting with stakeholders.
Residents and advocates used the Jan. 13 Portsmouth City Council meeting to press officials for expanded housing and shelter options and to report progress from a recent meeting with city leadership. Speakers urged that affordable and transitional housing, expanded emergency shelter capacity and harm-reduction measures remain priorities for the city.
Lori Swain of Poplar Street told council that recent extreme weather highlighted "a deficit of affordable housing, transitional housing, and emergency shelter space in Portsmouth" and urged the city to keep housing solutions "on the front burner." Gwen Mason, who identified herself as a non-Portsmouth resident who travels through the city frequently, said by personal observation there…
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