HOP Steering Committee

About

Housing is a hot topic everywhere and Candia is no exception. The question is: how can Candia integrate housing options into the existing fabric of the community? The first step is to engage the town in a conversation about housing to identify the priorities and strategies that best accommodate the community’s needs.

In February 2023, the Candia Planning Board was awarded a grant from InvestNH Municipal Planning & Zoning Grant Program’s Housing Opportunity Program Needs Assessment Grant (HOP Grant) to prepare a Needs Analysis and Plan to fund the public engagement, analysis, and documentation of answering the question “what should the future of housing be in Candia?” The primary tasks in this project include:

• Conduct a survey to provide information on housing and seek feedback from residents, businesses, and officials on housing preference to help guide potential action. The survey will run from January 2023 through March 16, 2024. To participate, please visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/CandiaHousing or find hard-copy surveys and drop-boxes at the Smyth Public Library, Candia Town Offices, and the Candia Recycling Center.
• Develop a housing needs assessment that evaluates the housing status, demographics, and housing-related issues within Candia. This assessment will include guidance about tools and potential changes to local regulations, their impact on housing opportunities, and their relation to Candia residents’ priorities and community goals. The assessment will be presented to the Planning Board.
• Hold public input events to present the background information, discuss housing preferences in Candia gained from the survey and other sources, and allow for facilitated discussion related to housing that may fit Candia’s needs and desires. These events will take place in Winter and Spring 2024.

The Candia Planning Board, with the Candia HOP Steering Committee, is working with Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission to assist with this effort over the coming months.