House passes bill changing notice at end of tenancy amid housing-supply debate

The New Hampshire House on Thursday passed House Bill 60, a measure that clarifies when a landlord may end a tenancy at the end of a lease and requires a 60‑day notice to tenants when a landlord elects not to renew a tenancy, with the majority committee report approved 217‑39 and the bill referred to the Finance Committee.

Supporters said the bill creates certainty for housing providers; opponents said it will increase homelessness by enabling ‘‘no‑cause’’ terminations at a moment of extreme shortage. The debate included multiple floor amendments intended to add vacancy‑rate triggers or grace periods; those amendments were voted down on the House floor.

Representative Reed, the sponsor of a floor amendment and member of the housing committee, explained the bill’s stated intent and described his amendment as mitigating measures: “The stated intent of HB 60 is to solve the problem that landlords are being forced to keep otherwise good tenants who pay their rent on time and abide by all of the terms of their lease,” he said, referring to an amendment that would have created a six‑month grace period, sealed eviction records for good tenants and tied the law’s effective trigger to a 5% vacancy rate. The Reed amendment was defeated in a roll‑call division.

Representative Page, who offered a separate floor amendment that would have required the bill not take effect until the rental vacancy rate reached 2.5%, said the state is in a housing crisis and warned the bill would displace renters: “0.8%. That’s New Hampshire’s current rental vacancy rate. 52%. That’s how much homelessness increased in our state from 2022 to 2023,” he said, urging colleagues to protect tenants until supply improves.

Representative Alexander, speaking for opponents of the amendments and in favor of the underlying bill, said the change is a matter of contract law and would align tenancy termination rules with other contract law in the state. Representative Alexander said HB 60 “adds a 60‑day notice” and argued the bill provides clarity for both housing providers and tenants.

After debate and successive roll‑call votes, the House recorded the committee report of ought‑to‑pass on HB 60 as adopted by a roll‑call tally of 217 yes, 39 no. Representatives Smitten and Pat Long cleared conflicts and did not vote. Several proposed amendments (including Reed 0254 and Page 0251) were rejected on floor votes.

Discussion points included whether the bill creates ‘‘no‑fault’’ eviction pathways, the correct vacancy trigger to protect tenants, and whether sealing eviction records for long‑term good tenants would be an appropriate remedy. Committee testimony and floor speakers repeatedly referenced the state’s low rental vacancy rate and the recent sharp increase in homelessness as central context.

The House’s passage sends HB 60 to the Finance Committee, where members will weigh fiscal and downstream impacts, including potential increased demand on local welfare and emergency housing funds if displacements occur.

Votes at a glance: HB 60 — committee report (ought to pass) approved by roll call, 217 yes, 39 no; amendments Reed 0254 and Page 0251 — defeated on floor votes (division/roll‑call; amendment tallies recorded on the floor and entry in House record).