​Lacasse: Monitor Way Project Balances Need For Housing And Access To Natural Resources​

By Kevin Lacasse

As a principal developer of the proposed mixed-use Monitor Way project, a New Hampshire native and a former resident of Penacook, I would like to take this opportunity to share some information with the current residents of Penacook.

Recent letters to the editor have claimed the project would harm conservation efforts and cater primarily to out-of-staters. To the contrary, what is being proposed is a modest village with various types of housing choices and some mixed-use retail, meeting the needs of Granite Staters, with a significant percentage of conserved greenspace. Set more than 200 feet back from the river, it will not only preserve nearly 50% (or about 65 acres) of natural greenspace, it will also build about two miles of new public trails, over two acres of community park space, a dog park and unprecedented public access to the river.

In my opinion, there will be more opportunities to appreciate the natural beauty of the area with Monitor Way, than without it.

This land is zoned for industrial use, so someone could build a giant warehouse or industrial manufacturing facility here, destroying far more greenspace in the process, and the planning board would be hard pressed to deny them.

Meanwhile, the housing need is undisputedly real: the NH Housing Finance Authority has said the state needs 90,000 new units by 2040, and we’re already behind by 23,500 units needed today. This isn’t to meet demand solely from people fleeing big cities like Boston and New York, it’s to house people already living here.

New Hampshire’s population has been steadily increasing over the past many decades, while housing construction has not kept up with the need. And while in-migration currently outweighs new births, that has more to do with young families being priced out of living in New Hampshire, largely due to a lack of housing options.

Some people might fear “outsiders” coming to our communities, but that’s a red herring. What I fear is the hollowing out of our communities as we lose our most energetic and talented workers, including those children of parents living here today, to other states with more housing options. That’s who we should be thinking about.

This housing crisis isn’t new. It’s been long in the making, from decades of communities saying “No” to new housing.

When you call emergency services and they’re slow to respond because fire and police departments are understaffed and spread thin, when there aren’t enough special education teachers or child care workers to meet the needs of a community, when there’s no one to fill critical healthcare jobs and you can’t get a doctor’s appointment, it’s because for too long we’ve been saying “No” to new housing.

Why not say “Yes” to thoughtful developments like Monitor Way, which promises to create over 900 housing units while balancing conservation? It’s certainly better than the alternatives.

Kevin Lacasse is the president and CEO of New England Family Housing and a principal partner of the proposed Monitor Way mixed-use development in Concord.