[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6383868,"mediaKeyId","2123369-934e93bb4067bf90eedbba95146ad237","parentId",2123369,"title","Mayor outlines homelessness, housing and overdose-response updates; city reports housing gains and ROAR progress","audioSeconds",387,"startMs",256000,"endMs",643000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2123369-934e93bb4067bf90eedbba95146ad237&start=256&end=643","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2123369-934e93bb4067bf90eedbba95146ad237/thumbnail_256000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6383868/New-Hampshire/Mayor-outlines-homelessness-housing-and-overdose-response-updates-city-reports-housing-gains-and-ROAR-progress","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383868-278fe109bef8a682d3b86979197e7c9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437930&Signature=nANpnXV-4dLsIyVdn~K5-OpniVjqASd2JqrxjBcf0nJcZI76tdegikZuBn0Fj7D1eYA1ovvRp7bzRMlOur0fc4m4ixl~Er05GM0MMebiFg7tYlQzNkjqkPjDW9lUcaiUX5ugaPs-JDvoAJeZtz2~OMR2mwbsCT7mqF3yRfL2eLdR926JZCYahBfdvnBr4UlS7MBlHfZNdDASGRqGhY8Nl6DKELzNoApXlMFLGj-cuWMjd98MXSG5933tNXzdroWgeMuMzRPmTJVh986Khl9PnNP9QX2CIVmBUaGRXqUA2HB3GBYm6K9w2JtnYLIXcdJryFU5pNsP4o2yTuiTaCbe8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Manchester NH","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","The Mayor of Manchester opened the meeting with a summary of city efforts on homelessness, housing development and overdose response, and presented year-end statistics intended to show progress on those fronts.

The mayor said the city's strategy is to make homelessness \"rare, brief, and one-time,\" combining enforcement of ordinances, service connections and building more affordable housing. He listed a set of initiatives launched during the prior year and reported several year-end metrics collected by city staff.

On enforcement and outreach, the mayor said the city implemented a camping ban during the summer and transferred funds to the Manchester Police Department for increased patrols of identified hot spots; between July 12 and the end of the year he said police made 130 arrests and issued 489 citations in enforcement efforts.

On outreach and housing placement, the mayor said the engagement center recorded more than 800 provider connections since July, and that over 35 individuals had been housed, 30 vital documents (Social Security, birth certificates, etc.) were procured, 11 people gained employment and eight entered rehabilitation or detox. He also said an initiative launched to end veterans' homelessness had moved from 16 to more than 21 veterans housed since its September start.

On housing development, the mayor said staff in the planning, zoning and permitting system issued certificates of occupancy and approved new dwelling units: \"543 certificates of occupancy were issued,\" he said; \"about 600 new dwelling units were approved,\" and he said 707 units were under active construction. The mayor also said the city designated a property as surplus, adding $1,130,000 to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund; the board expended $200,000 from that fund to create eight new affordable units at a city-owned building slated to open later in the month. He also said the city supported about $1.65 million in federal funds for an affordable housing site referred to locally as the Pearl Street lot.

On overdose response, the mayor recognized Manchester's Rapid Overdose Assessment and Response team (ROAR), led by Anna Thomas, director of the Manchester Health Department, and Andrew Warner, director of overdose prevention. He said AMR (American Medical Response) data indicate opioid-related overdose calls were down 24 percent year over year and overdose fatalities were down about 21 percent compared with the prior year, figures he described as the second-lowest annual totals since AMR began tracking in 2015. He thanked ROAR staff and a range of community partners for their work.

Nut graf: The mayor framed these updates as early evidence that a combined approach of enforcement, outreach and housing creation has produced measurable results, while acknowledging further work remains.

What happened next: The mayor read rules for public comment; several residents then spoke about the Beach Street School land-transfer pause and urged the board to revisit that decision so school construction could proceed. The board later took public comments under advisement.

Ending: The mayor said the board would continue to pursue housing and public-health initiatives in 2025 and invited aldermen and residents to the ribbon-cutting for the new affordable units later in the month.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle"," Board of Mayor and Aldermen 01/07/2025","oneSentenceSummary","During opening remarks the mayor reviewed 2024 year-end statistics on homelessness and housing, described programs to house veterans and said the city's rapid overdose assessment and response team (ROAR) helped reduce overdoses and overdose fatalities compared with 2023.","taxTitle","Manchester Board Mayor & Aldermen, Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire","taxId",75997,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6383873,"Board approves tunnel contract and higher sewer rates to meet federal consent decree",2820,1270000,4090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2123369-934e93bb4067bf90eedbba95146ad237&start=1270&end=4090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2123369-934e93bb4067bf90eedbba95146ad237/thumbnail_1270000.jpg","/articles/6383873/New-Hampshire/Board-approves-tunnel-contract-and-higher-sewer-rates-to-meet-federal-consent-decree","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383873-b3237f13808b4f7207feeae47a1a3ca0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437930&Signature=fnztZYJsDN~SBBMmJ2LDfZ7spspD9CgxczqwYmGdUwo-E3yzMm2PJ4ZmJn1t09RWCQqVtxc1x~nvSD~00F0zdIvTGqYYh~abN0Gp2dcBT57pdSvmhnXfEfipTMnBVEd-os35W-vunRayD9atizKvitAZlh0JeFKHMi2p2Zq7ookmar8pLJZ5gQyyrxAnlaB8Z7zuy~eHxXSfjqNxqDvKPm52Ey6wh21fI0UND2zwbCNaN4WGQMX5GpBMFAJ-zyopz-EmJyj~SqSLyIE5ARhkqLckg9icuw7Q9YeTXH6BLBTXFUKjtb2LGaxpahggmQdLi-039zdxbYfFWKZAng4RFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tim Clardy, the City of Manchester public works director, told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that the city must move forward with a 2.25-mile, 14-foot-diameter tunnel and related sewer-separation work to meet deadlines in a negotiated federal consent decree addressing combined-sewer overflows.

Clardy said the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is funded through user fees and that the proposed capital plan requires a change to the existing rate structure. \"We have little choice of moving forward as we have entered into a negotiated consent decree with the federal government,\" Clardy said, explaining the city faces direct deadlines and potential fines under the consent decree.

The nut graf: The board debated whether to authorize the Department of Public Works to execute a tunneling contract, approve a shifted rate schedule to support the work and allow finance to issue revenue bonds. Supporters stressed the legal and environmental imperative of the consent decree; opponents and several aldermen warned of the financial burden on residents and businesses.

Most important facts: Public Works said the CSO tunnel is the largest element of the city's compliance program and is required to reduce untreated discharges to the Merrimack River and to lower basement backups and neighborhood flooding. The city treats about 23,000,000 gallons of wastewater per day; the tunnel will travel through six separation areas to Mammoth Road. Clardy said the project is in phase two and that tunnel construction was expected to begin once a contract is executed.

On financing, EPD staff proposed moving from a previously modeled 9% annual increase pattern to a one-time 19% increase in 2025 (to take effect in April, per staff), followed by additional increases over the near term and a modeled 15% increase in 2029. Staff said the modeled changes would keep EPD finances solvent under the capital plan and bond structure; Clardy and finance staff noted even after the proposed increases, projected sewer rates would remain below the state average by roughly 11.5 percent.

Alderwoman Harda and Alderman Benson pressed for more specificity about totals, bond sizing and whether the 2029 percentage would be final. Benson asked whether the 15% in 2029 was fixed; staff said the number is based on current projections and would be revisited in later years. Finance staff explained the issuance being contemplated is a revenue bond, backed by enterprise revenues, and that rating considerations influenced that choice. \"They're revenue bonds,\" Sharon (Finance Department official) said during the discussion.

Aldermen noted the scale of the overall program and cost estimates have grown since earlier projections. City staff said total program costs across phases now are estimated \"closer to $700,000,000,\" up from earlier figures of roughly $365,000,000 for parts of the program; staff also said the city has already completed approximately $75,000,000 of work (Chestnut Street, Christian Brook projects and treatment-plant components) that are part of the broader consent-decree program.

Board members repeatedly asked about alternatives. Alderman Glasser proposed seeking federal relief or congressional help and suggested exploring legal avenues; staff noted the city had pursued congressional directed requests in the past without success and that the consent decree contains firm deadlines and penalty provisions. Clardy said the consent decree imposes schedules and that fines for violations are written into the document, beginning at $1,000 per day for specified violations and escalating for continued noncompliance.

Procedure and outcome: The board initially moved to table the item for further discussion during the meeting, but after taking other business and returning from a recess the board approved a motion in the consent agenda to: (1) approve the recommended rate-structure modifications; (2) authorize the Department of Public Works to execute a contract for tunnel construction; and (3) authorize the finance department to issue bonds to support the tunnel and the CSO program. The approving motion was made by Alderman Long and seconded by Alderman O'Neil; the motion carried with the ayes prevailing.

What remains: Staff said they had received two bids for the tunneling work and were negotiating with bidders; they expected to interview contractors later in the month and asked the board for authorization to execute a contract to meet the consent-decree schedule. Staff also said final bond sizing and exact annual rate steps will be subject to further work with bond counsel and the city's financial advisor and could be revisited in future years.

Ending: The board's authorization clears the way for the tunneling contract to be executed and for financing to proceed as staff work with bond counsel and contractors. Aldermen asked that staff return with final bond terms, explicit rates and affordability analyses when those figures are negotiated.

","After months of review and questions from aldermen, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen authorized Public Works to execute a tunneling contract, approved a proposed rate-structure change for sewer users and authorized future bond issuance to fund the city's combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) compliance work under a federal consent decree.","actionData","errors"]

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Mayor outlines homelessness, housing and overdose-response updates; city reports housing gains and ROAR progress

Board approves tunnel contract and higher sewer rates to meet federal consent decree