SB188

A jerk senator pushing all these housing bills shoots off his mouth and says you are a QUIET SNOB. This short-time resident Senator shill for wealthy developers who want to carve up NH's neighborhoods, culture, and quality of life. His professional career in planning is dependent on hyperventilated schmoozing for campaign donations. "Joe Alexander, whose House district overlaps with Murphy’s Senate district, has also embraced the snob zoning argument." These two clowns are trying to give NH the bums rush with over 30 bills attacking our towns zoning and planning laws. Read how these jerks trash NH residents "New Hampshire Republicans’ Crusade Against Snob Zoning" https://www.governing.com/urban/new-hampshire-republicans-crusade-against-snob-zoning

I decided to "testify" but not on the bill itself, rather in response to Sen Murphy's opening remarks .... .... he and others make it seem the houses just jacked in price with no precursor .... never ever have I heard him, Mayberry, Rep Alexander, or any of the other big housing bill proponents address short term rentals and their affect on the cost of houses-- especially in Coös, especially in Jefferson .... .... remember us? way up north? we don't need more houses, we just need our houses to not be businesses .... .... treat the properties as the businesses they are and not as houses .... short term rentals should have the same legal requirements as inns, motels, and hotels-- fire suppression, stairways, egress, close during pandemics (STRs made a killing during covid while inns collapsed), hot tub inspection (a HUGE problem) .... and assess them as the income deriving properties that they are .... I had the first airbnb in Jefferson -- no one in town had ever heard of it before and it was occupied by me, I let out the bedrooms upstairs but now it's not people like me trying to make some extra money .... I also have a small business and worked running people's STRs for them (I won't do that anymore) ..... it's mostly well off buyers (usually from out of state) who pay cash above asking price for a house and immediate add it to their STR portfolio .... yes, I know a few members of house Housing have STRs, I know they're also owned by regular people on occasion, but the vast majority in my experience are not (I can think of one owner occupied and two lives-down-the-street, the rest are OOS or downstate owners) **** **** side note, ask me some time about owners of STRs using the property address to vote absentee in our elections (I've already gone to house and senate elections, local reps, and to local supervisors of the checklist with my findings but no one is interested .... in 2022 the Coös 7 seat was decided by two votes and during that house term so many bills were decided by One vote -- so it matters)

ALLOWING USE OF THIRD PARTY INSPECTION SHOULD ONLY BE EMPLOYED IF THE MUNICIPALITY DOES NOT MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONALLY LICENSED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND INSPECTORS. USE OF THIRD PARTIES IN THIS SITUATION DUPLICATES THE EXISTING TOWN SERVICES THAT PROVIDE REVENUE TO SUPPORT TOWN ENFORCEMENT STAFF, EFFECTIVELY ADDING COSTS (REDUCING REVENUE) TO THE MUNICIPALITY.

I ask that you ITL this bill. This bill is an attempt to do an end run around local control, which is not something we should be doing at all and would rip away the character of our state. It would be a step toward Massing Up New Hampshire.

Please oppose SB188! I'm shocked that you would even consider allowing private providers to inspect land, building and structures instead of local enforcement agencies. This is ripe for corruption!

Please ITL House Bill SB188. This bill would leave municipalities powerless to defend against third party inspectors under the pay of property owners.

Is this bill some kind of joke or for real? Unlicensed providers is not a good idea. Oppose this bill!

*Authorization to use unlicensed providers? What could go wrong? If you need medical assistance, the first thing you'll do is consult an unlicensed surgeon, right? Give us all a break and vote this reckless bill down.

It is an extremely poor idea to give developers, especially those with large pockets, the opportunity to hire their own experts to evaluate their compliance and development quality. Obviously those with deep pockets with have undue sway and potentially circumvent true oversight. Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse! (on the other hand, cities and towns should be able to hire 3rd party experts to assist and extend the capacities of their own staff)