HB1732

On behalf of Community Support Network, Inc, I am sharing my support for HB1732. Individuals with disabilities continue to struggle with identifying homes that are accessible per Universal Design standards. While the Fair Housing Act prohibits certain discrimination and requires the bare minimum in terms of housing accessibility, the lived experiences of people with disabilities indicate a continued struggle, despite the fact that the FHA design manual was published 30 years ago. The experiences of people with disabilities in the world today often include severely limited housing choices - if they are fortunate enough to find housing they can afford, and it's not accessible to them, they can either pass on it and keep waiting and hoping for something else, or choose to live there and struggle to exist in their own home. There was a significant amount of testimony and feedback provided to the Committee to Study the Impact of the Housing Crisis on People with Disabilities (HB1168, 2024) that repeatedly cites these exact struggles. Because Universal Design positively impacts everyone, I would like to again express my support for HB 1732. Thank you for your consideration.

The Members of the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities (NHCDD) believes this bill could have a positive impact on the NH disability community.

As a disabled person who was born and raised in NH, I wholeheartedly support this bill. Accessible housing is something that this state lacks in an extreme way and something that I've never gotten to experience in my 31 years in this state. This is also a perfect time to talk about the fact that accessibility hurts no one and helps everyone. Disability is the only minority in this country that anyone can actually join; and usually through no fault of their own. More accessible housing in NH would be helpful to every single person in the state. Especially a state like ours that has such an aging population. But, NH also has a growing population of young disabled people, like myself, who also deserve the chance to have homes they can be comfortable and thrive in. I'm very tired of fighting with the places I live in. And current landlords will only allow so many modifications to assist with daily living. Homes that are ready for our needs from the beginning is what is truly needed in NH. Also making sure that those in need are the first to be able to have access to them is a huge part as well. I'm wholly in favor of this bill being passed.