Budget & Taxes (Property Tax)

HB 1273 creates "Flood Resilience Incentive Zones" (FRIZ) to help homeowners in flood-prone areas make resilience improvements. It allows municipalities to offer tax credits (minimum $100 annually), property tax relief, and low-cost loans for qualifying projects like elevating homes, installing flood barriers, using natural water management systems (e.g., bioswales), or upgrading electrical systems to reduce flood damage. Municipalities can also collect a fee of up to $0.50 per $1,000 property value to fund these initiatives through revolving funds. The bill directly affects residential property owners in designated FRIZ areas and gives local governments new tools to support flood mitigation.

HB 1295 requires nonprofit housing projects seeking property tax exemptions in New Hampshire to meet stricter eligibility criteria. Key provisions include mandating that at least 20% of residents receive services free or at reduced cost based on income, requiring transparent fee policies published online, and prohibiting the use of excess funds for personal benefit. The bill directly affects charitable housing facilities serving elderly (62+) and disabled residents that rely on tax exemptions. These requirements take effect April 1, 2027, and apply to projects operated under state law or federal housing programs.

HB 1495 allows New Hampshire school districts to borrow against expected state reimbursements (like education funds) and count those borrowed funds as revenue when setting property tax rates. The bill requires that borrowed funds be used only for the same purpose as the anticipated reimbursement. School districts must notify the state revenue department in writing about the amount to be counted as revenue, and this borrowing is exempt from standard debt limit restrictions under RSA 33. The bill directly affects school districts receiving state education reimbursements by changing how they can manage and report anticipated funds.

HB 1787 modifies New Hampshire's statewide education property tax system by requiring all tax revenues to be collected by local officials and deposited directly into the state education trust fund, rather than being handled by municipalities. It updates the low- and moderate-income homeowners property tax relief program and establishes a committee to study this program's effectiveness. The bill also mandates that tax bills include clear information about available relief programs, including the low-income homeowner program. These changes affect homeowners (particularly those eligible for tax relief) and ensure education funding flows through a centralized state trust fund for grants and tax relief payments. The tax rate is set to generate $378 million annually, increasing by 2% each year.