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County commissioners propose inventorying public land to spur affordable housing
Summary
Strafford County commissioners discussed identifying county-owned parcels for long-term leases or RFPs to enable affordable housing developed by private or nonprofit partners, citing a recent state law and past regional goals.
Strafford County commissioners opened a discussion about using county land to help address the region's affordable housing shortage, with the chair urging an inventory of county-owned parcels that could be offered under long-term lease arrangements or via requests for proposals.
"If we provide the land, that's kinda how I'm thinking about it," the chair said, describing a model in which the county supplies sites while private or nonprofit developers operate housing projects. The chair referenced recent state guidance asking political subdivisions to examine available land for affordable housing and said any proposal would be presented to the county delegation.
Commissioner Leslie Feliciano voiced support: "I'm 100% behind that, George. You know, our communities need this," she said, offering to help lead the effort. Commissioners discussed using an RFP to solicit development interest and emphasized an approach that does not require direct county spending.
Speakers repeatedly cited barriers to rapid development, including municipal zoning resistance and the high cost of construction. The chair noted a past regional aspiration to create roughly 750 units countywide and said Rochester has made limited progress toward that goal.
Next steps described in the meeting: commissioners will survey county holdings to identify candidate parcels, consider long-term lease terms, and consult with the county delegation and municipal partners on zoning and implementation strategies.
