N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 203: § 203:10
Rentals and Tenant Selection.
Operative Text
I. In the operation or management of housing projects an authority shall at all times observe the following duties with respect to rentals and tenant selection: (a) it may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations therein only to persons of low income and at rentals within the financial reach of such persons of low income; (b) it may rent or lease to a tenant dwelling accommodations consisting of the number of rooms (but no greater number) which it deems necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations to the proposed occupants thereof, without overcrowding; and (c) it shall not accept any person as a tenant in any housing project if the person or persons who would occupy the dwelling accommodations have, at the time of admission, an aggregate annual net income, less an exemption of $100 for each minor member of the family other than the head of the family and his spouse, in excess of 5 times the annual rental of the quarters to be furnished such person or persons; in computing the rental for this purpose of admitting tenants, there shall be included in the rental the average annual cost (as determined by the authority) to occupants of heat, water, electricity, gas, cooking fuel and other necessary services or facilities, whether or not the charge for such services and facilities is in fact included in the rental; provided, that an authority may agree to conditions as to tenant eligibility or preferences required by the federal government pursuant to federal law in any contract for financial assistance with the authority. II. Nothing contained in this section or in RSA 203:9 shall be construed as limiting the power of an authority, with respect to a housing project, to vest in an obligee the right, in the event of a default by the authority, to take possession thereof or cause the appointment of a receiver thereof, free from all the restrictions imposed by this section or RSA 203:9. III. When an individual applies for Section 8 rental assistance or other public housing assistance, a housing authority shall provide the individual with application forms and information about the Link-Up New Hampshire and Lifeline Telephone Assistance programs, shall offer to assist the individual to apply for these programs, and shall provide such assistance.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 203:10 establishes the rules governing how public housing authorities in New Hampshire must select tenants and set rents for their housing projects. Under this provision, dwelling units may only be rented to low-income persons at rates they can afford, and unit size must be matched to the number of occupants without overcrowding. The provision also sets an income ceiling for admission — generally, a household's net annual income (after a $100 exemption per minor dependent) cannot exceed five times the annual rental cost, which includes utilities and essential services. Additionally, when someone applies for Section 8 or other public housing assistance, the authority is required to provide information about and offer help applying for the Link-Up New Hampshire and Lifeline Telephone Assistance programs.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing authorities operating under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 203:10 are expected to maintain documented procedures for verifying applicant income, calculating the five-times-rental income ceiling (inclusive of utility and service costs), and matching unit size to household composition. Compliant authorities also keep records of the $100 per-minor-dependent exemption applied during income calculations and ensure that federal eligibility or preference conditions tied to financial assistance contracts are incorporated into their tenant selection policies. When processing applications for Section 8 or other public housing assistance, authorities are required to furnish applicants with information about the Link-Up New Hampshire and Lifeline Telephone Assistance programs and offer to assist with those applications.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 203:10, applicants for public housing in New Hampshire have a right to be considered under a defined income eligibility standard — one that accounts for minor-dependent exemptions and includes utility costs in the rental calculation — and to be offered a unit sized appropriately for their household. Applicants for Section 8 or other public housing assistance also have a right to receive information about the Link-Up New Hampshire and Lifeline Telephone Assistance programs and to be offered help applying for them. Those who believe an authority has not followed these requirements may consider raising the issue directly with the housing authority, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting with a legal aid provider familiar with New Hampshire public housing law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 20, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation