New Hampshire Housing Calls on Renters to Participate in Local Rent Study

Approximately 34,000 renter households will be invited to provide information about local rent costs

BEDFORD, N.H. —Renters in communities across Merrimack, Rockingham, and Strafford counties will soon have an opportunity to provide information that can help ensure federal housing decisions are based on accurate local rental data.

New Hampshire Housing has contracted with Econometrica, Inc., to conduct a rental housing study covering Merrimack County and the Portsmouth–Rochester Fair Market Rent area. Approximately 34,000 renter households will receive an invitation to participate by postcard, text message, email, or mail.

The study will collect current information about rents, utilities, unit sizes, building types, and other housing characteristics. The results will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of an effort to ensure that federal Fair Market Rents accurately reflect local housing costs.

HUD’s Fair Market Rents are used in several federal housing programs and can affect the resources available to help families find and maintain affordable rental housing.

“The housing crisis is real in New Hampshire, and good housing decisions require good local data,” said Brendan Goodwin, Managing Director of Assisted Housing at New Hampshire Housing. “We need renters at every income level, not just households receiving housing assistance, to respond if selected. Their participation can help ensure that HUD understands what New Hampshire renters are actually paying for housing.”

How Selected Households Can Participate

Selected households will receive a unique five-digit respondent code along with instructions for completing the survey. The survey takes approximately five to ten minutes to complete. Participants may respond online using the link or QR code included in their invitation or complete and return a paper questionnaire if one is provided. The online survey is also available in Spanish.

Participation is voluntary. Responses will be kept confidential and used only for the purposes of the rent study.

Renters do not need to receive housing assistance to participate. Responses from households renting in the private market are essential to developing an accurate picture of local rental costs.

Households that receive a survey invitation are strongly encouraged to take a few minutes to complete it as soon as possible using the unique code, link, or QR code included in the invitation.

Questions about the study may be directed to Margaret McGilvray of Econometrica, Inc., at mmcgilvray@econometricainc.com or to New Hampshire Housing at 603-472-8623.

About New Hampshire Housing

New Hampshire Housing promotes, finances, and supports affordable housing and related services for the people of New Hampshire. Through its homeownership, rental assistance, multifamily housing finance, and research and planning programs, New Hampshire Housing works with public and private partners to help people and communities across the state access stable, affordable housing. NHHousing.org

Media Contact:
 Etienne LaFond
 Director, Communications and Marketing
 elafond@nhhousing.org
 603.310.9203