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Squidworth89 t1_ja7ubrr wrote

Reply to comment by smartest_kobold in That 44-unit tiny home development, built by employer who can't keep staff by GraniteGeekNH

Waahhhh!!! Society is failing to build affordable housing so an employer is trying something but he’s the employer so that’s bad! Waahhhh!!!

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smartest_kobold t1_ja7v82t wrote

They seem to be getting all the subsidies and tax benefits for "affordable" housing and all the convenience and economic benefits of company housing. Sounds like corporate welfare to me.

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Squidworth89 t1_ja7wtv3 wrote

There’s nothing in the article about the project having tax benefits beyond normal real estate or subsidies.

Sounds like you can’t read to me.

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smartest_kobold t1_ja85z76 wrote

They'd be fools not to apply for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. There's an Affordable Housing Fund that supplies low interest loans and grants. Plus, if they pay their employees poorly enough for them to qualify for housing vouchers, they get the money they save on labor and that sweet government subsidy.

They run a private business and have no reason or obligation to announce to a local reporter where the money comes from gets made on this feel good story with an easy SEO boosting buzzword.

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TheMobyDicks t1_ja8cyc2 wrote

Well, for one thing, they didn't really understand LIHTC when they started the project. It's kind of a difficult process but I'm confident they'll apply on future projects that don't involve housing for their own employees. That particularly was why they didn't pursue it for the Dover project because if they accepted LIHTC resources they couldn't direct any units towards their employees. Yes, the project was bourn as a way to house Harmony Homes folks, but they've been approached by so many would-be renters and companies that need employees, they plan on building attainable housing in other parts of the state. As an example, they were approached by Manchester to see if they can collaborate on a project in that town to create such housing. The name of the game is house workers as affordably as possible.

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TheMobyDicks t1_ja83zxv wrote

Congratulations. You're EXACTLY wrong. Fact is, they applied for InvestNH and didn't get it. John plans, when the ribbon is cut (and, of course, the politicians are there), to note he and Maggie did the project without any outside financial assistance.

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smartest_kobold t1_ja86tg5 wrote

  1. I'd be surprised. There's a lot of programs. I'd want to look at the financial records before I believe it.
  2. Nothing stops them from taking tax credits in the future and I doubt anyone's going to check or care when that happens.
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TheMobyDicks t1_ja89wtj wrote

Be surprised all you want. I know this project backwards and forwards and Chris Parker as well. You're just WRONG. These folks are doing something that the seacoast and state desperately need. And kudos to Dover for letting it happen. Here's some facts for you:

  1. There is a labor shortage on the seacoast (and state)
  2. There is not enough housing, particularly attainable housing, on the seacoast
  3. The Randolphs and Dover are doing something outside the box to try to help the situation
  4. Their plan going forward is to work with other businesses to help fund similar type housing, including multifamily where zoned/appropriate, in other communities of the willing

Now I'm sure you can agree on points one and two. That said, what's your solution? Er, pay people more? No even close to practical in many industries. With the supply chain issues and other economic factors many companies are operating on razor thin margins. Yes, granted there are plenty of employers who gouge on wages but that doesn't account for the crisis we're in. Honestly, I'd love to hear what you think employers and the state should do about the workforce and housing crises?

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the_nobodys t1_ja8f8v7 wrote

Why are you providing NIMBYs with facts? They just don't want to hear them, gosh darn it!

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