Aldermanic legislative committee proposed following HB 60 discussion involving evictions
The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen are expected to create a new committee that will advocate on state legislation impacting Manchester following discussion at their meeting on Tuesday.
MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen are expected to create a new committee that will advocate on state legislation impacting Manchester following discussion at their meeting on Tuesday.
Discussion relating to the proposed committee came after several members of the public urged the city to take a stance opposing HB 60, a piece of pending state legislation that would allow landlords to issue 60-day notices to tenants forcing them to vacate in leases longer than six months.
Ward 3 Alderman Pat Long, who also serves as a State Senator, said that he could understand landlords not wanting to rent to certain tenants, but disapproved of evicting tenants without cause, believing that this would harm the city’s efforts to combat homelessness.
Long also said that an eviction can act as a black mark against tenants obtaining new apartments, but Board Chair Joseph Kelly Levasseur said that the issue is more complex, as a tenant given a notice to leave that leaves before eviction does not have an eviction placed in their record and a landlord denying such a tenant an apartment due to an eviction would have grounds for a lawsuit.
Long followed his comments on the bill with a question to Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais what the procedure would be for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to express their viewpoint on legislation, stating that there had been a committee regarding such matters under former Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas. Ruais said he would be amenable to the re-creation of such a committee. A comparable committee already exists on the Manchester Board of School Committee.
Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza supported the committee concept, hoping that the board could share its opinion on federal legislation as well.
Ward 5 Alderman Anthony Sapienza made a motion that the board should share its collective opposition to HB 60 immediately, although Ruais asked if such a vote could be delayed until all members of the board had a chance to read the bill.
Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry said he is opposed to the bill, but agreed with Ruais’ decision to allow more deliberation before the board takes a stance.
HB 60 received a 10-7 Ought-to-Pass recommendation from the New Hampshire House of Representatives Housing Committee last month and goes before the entire House of Representatives as the sixth scheduled item in the chamber’s regular calendar on Thursday. If the House consents to the recommendation on Thursday, the bill would next head to the New Hampshire Senate this spring.
