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Plymouth named Invest NH “Housing Champion”; state officials urge continued funding
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Summary
State officials and Invest New Hampshire presenters recognized Plymouth as one of 28 Housing Champion communities, highlighting program benefits for grant competitiveness and interagency partnerships while noting that second-round grant funds are not yet budgeted.
Plymouth was formally recognized by Invest New Hampshire on March 9 as one of 28 communities to receive a Housing Champion designation, town and state officials said at a select-board meeting.
Leanne Moynihan of the state’s Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) office told the board the designation rewards communities that review ordinances, master plans and infrastructure to become "more housing ready and more housing friendly," and it gives towns a competitive edge when applying for state and federal programs. "Plymouth is one of 28 housing champion communities," Moynihan said.
Andrew Dorsett, also with BEA and Invest NH, outlined the program’s history and incentives, saying the broader Invest New Hampshire initiative launched in 2022 as a roughly $100 million effort that included programs to assist municipalities and developers. "If people can't find a place to live close to where they work, it becomes a real challenge," Dorsett said, describing the program’s goal to lower barriers to housing development.
Several state and regional officials joined Plymouth leaders to congratulate the town. Karen Leo Hill, executive councilor for District 2, praised the local work that led to the designation. Sen. Suprentiss said she will continue to press for program funding in the legislature and called the housing champions program "one of the smartest initiatives" to incentivize municipal action. Margaret Burns, executive director of the New Hampshire Municipal Association, said NHMA will advocate for more grant funding so additional towns can access program benefits.
Presenters and officials noted a practical caveat: the first round of Housing Champion grants used an initial pool of funds that have already been awarded, and second-round grant money has not yet been secured in the current state budget. Moynihan said the designation still yields non-monetary advantages, including recognition by agencies such as DOT and DES that can translate to higher application scores or project points.
Town officials said the recognition should help Plymouth when pursuing infrastructure and development projects and thanked staff and volunteers (including planning board members Joseph Perez and John) who advanced the Housing Opportunity Program work that led to the designation.
The town took a group photograph with Invest NH and invited the community to follow upcoming opportunities and potential future grant rounds; no new grant awards were announced at the meeting.
