Portsmouth councilor looks to reach out to renters in city, provide resources

PORTSMOUTH — City Councilor Andrew Bagley wants to make sure Portsmouth’s large population of renters are just as involved in city government as homeowners.

“The city is kind of evenly split, 50% renters, 50% homeowners, and not everyone knows that,” Bagley said. “We have a very substantial rental population.”

Bagley has a number of friends who’ve rented in Portsmouth “for a decade or more,” but worries that “sometimes they get left out of the conversation” in terms of Portsmouth’s future and how the city should be governed.

“They’re often not connected to the city as much as homeowners,” Bagley said Friday about Portsmouth’s substantial population of renters. “I don’t think that’s healthy. Everyone should have a voice who lives here and we should understand the power of your voice.”

Bagley stressed renters should share their opinions on city issues, just like homeowners do.

“I want them to have a voice. If you have an opinion about what we should do with Prescott Park, come to a meeting and tell us. If you have an opinion about what we should do with the police station, come to a meeting and tell us,” Bagley said. “Don’t think your voice doesn’t matter.”

Bagley is scheduled to make a motion at Monday’s City Council meeting to “establish a renters’ resource page” on the city website.

The page, according to Bagley’s sample motion, would be “designed specifically for renters.”

“This page will feature a comprehensive collection of helpful links and resources, including but not limited to state and city housing ordinances, guidelines and regulations,” Bagley said in his proposed motion. “Additionally, the page will offer valuable information for first-time homebuyers and other relevant topics deemed beneficial by the city, catering to the needs and interests of our renting community.”

“I guess the bottom line is the government at the city level would love to hear from all of our residents,” Bagley said. “We hear form some people a lot, but we like to hear from more people, including renters.”

Rental units continue to increase in Portsmouth

Developers have built hundreds of new market rate apartments in Portsmouth during the last several years, many of which rent for high-end prices.

During a recent interview, Peter Britz, the city’s director of planning and sustainability, said he expects hundreds more rental units to be created in 2024 and beyond, especially in the city’s North End and Route 1 corridor.

Portsmouth in 2024: Development surge in North End, Route 1 corridor

Britz believes a number of developments along the North Mill Pond could move forward this year after court decisions cleared the way for the projects.

“In the last few years there’s been a lot (of housing) approved, a lot’s being built, and a lot is going to be built,” Britz said previously. “There’s several cases that were tied up in court, 105 Bartlett, Raynes Avenue, 53 Green, are all out of court, so they’re all going to be ramping up.”

The 105 Bartlett St. project alone calls for building 152 apartments in three buildings along the North Mill Pond.

The development, which is called the Residence at Islington Creek, will include a half-acre public park along the North Mill Pond and donated rights to the city for about three-quarters of a mile of the long-planned North Mill Pond Trail and Greenway.

"We are seeing a ceiling": Dover puts spotlight on surging apartment rent prices

Bagley’s housing journey

Bagley acknowledged the expected new development could increase the number of renters living in Portsmouth to an ever higher level.

Before buying their home in 2019, Bagley and his family rented in Portsmouth “for 10 years.”

Bagley said when they bought their home he thought “we were buying at the top of the market,” but home values have continued to soar.

“Our house value has essentially doubled in five years,” Bagley said, acknowledging his family was fortunate to buy when they did.

More: 'Walkable' new Portsmouth neighborhood with 360 apartments near retail centers touted

If his motion passes, he wants the renters’ resource page to include information to help renters who want to buy their first home in the city.

“Portsmouth has for the last 20 years been an expensive place to live, it’s now become an absurdly expensive place to live,” Bagley said.

He noted that the City Council recently made changes to Portsmouth’s First-Time Home Buyer’s Program.

“We recently made some substantial changes that makes it easier to get approved,” Bagley said.

To learn more about the program, visit cityofportsmouth.com/community/first-time-homebuyer-program-hometown.

The renters page would also include information to “make sure renters are aware of everything that’s available to them,” Bagley said.

“I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of rental rights in New Hampshire compared to other states, but it should include that information,” he said.

It also should include, Bagley said, information about schools, local government, recreation opportunities and other things the city of Portsmouth offers.

“There’s a disconnect sometimes between a lot of our population who lives here, works and plays in Portsmouth and what resources might be available to them,” Bagley said. “That can be even greater among the rental population.”

Monday’s City Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in council chambers.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth councilor looks to connect with and assist renters