It’s been a busy few days in the Granite State! I was thrilled on Friday to announce an affordable housing complex in Lebanon will continue providing shelter for local residents. Please read on to hear about the work I’m doing in Congress to get things done for New Hampshire!

Maintaining Affordable Housing in the Granite State

On Friday, I was thrilled to join with federal officials and Upper Valley housing providers to announce the acquisition of the Pine Tree Lane apartments and the continuation of affordable housing subsidies for local residents. Earlier this year, residents of Pine Tree Lane, a 50-unit affo rdable housing complex, learned that, starting in 2016, their homes would no longer qualify for federal rent subsidies through the USDA-Rural Development Section 515 housing program.  The subsidies were due to expire because the property mortgage had matured, leaving many residents at risk for losing their homes.  But, through efforts by my office and USDA-Rural Development, stakeholders arranged a sale of Pine Tree Lane to the Twin Pines Housing Trust, under which the majority of apartment units will continue to be subsidized.  The sale formally went through this month.

I am currently developing legislation, the Rural Housing Preservation Act, to ensure that residents maintain affordable housing if the mortgage on the property in which they are living matures.  The legislation will be introduced in the near future and is supported by Housing Action New Hampshire, the New England Housing Network, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the National Housing Law Project, and the National Housing Trust.

Supporting Veterans in Small Business

On the heels of National Veteran Small Business Week, I recently hosted a roundtable discussion with local veterans, business owners, and employment specialists to discuss how Congress and the local community can best serve the needs of veteran entrepreneurs and veterans seeking employment. Small businesses make up the backbone of New Hampshire’s economy, and our veterans play a critical role in driving our businesses forward. We must do all that we can to ensure that our veterans are finding the jobs that give them the opportunity to utilize their skills and support their families when they return home. During the roundtable, held at Harbor Homes in Nashua, local veterans and advocates shared their thoughts and concerns, and updated Kuster on efforts that are currently underway to support the employment of veterans in New Hampshire.

Helping Students Go To College

As part of NH’s “I am Going to College Month,” I recently hosted a forum at Salem High School focused on initiatives to reduce the costs of higher education.  The forum brought together Salem High students, administrators and a panel of key stakeholders to discuss college affordability, including reducing the cost of college courses, postsecondary scholarship programs, and Pell Grants and Perkins Loans. Higher education should be affordable and accessible to every family in New Hampshire and across the country.

Through this informative forum , participants discussed how we can continue to make access to postsecondary education and the completion of a higher degree realities for Granite State students and their families.  We all know that education is about opportunity – the opportunity to have a good job and to provide for your family.  As completing higher education becomes increasingly essential for competing in today’s economy, I will bring the insights shared at Salem High School back to Congress as I continue to advocate for affordable, quality higher education.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and thanks for everything you do to make New Hampshire such a great place to live!