Sherman Faults Sununu for Losing $67M Federal Rental Assistance Funds - InDepthNH.org

Democrat Dr. Tom Sherman of Rye, who is moving for governor, is pictured with Gov. Chris Sununu July 28 astatine the signing of a measure helium sponsored astatine Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org

Gov. Chris Sununu was taken by astonishment that New Hampshire wasn’t awarded $67 cardinal much backing to proceed the U.S. Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance beyond Dec. 29, but his challenger Dr. Tom Sherman says Sununu has lone himself to blame.

Sununu has written the Democratic Congressional delegation seeking help.

“I inquire that you enactment straight with U.S. Treasury and impulse them to reconsider their determination to extremity the ERA programme aboriginal successful New Hampshire, portion confirming New Hampshire’s reallocation of our ERA 1 funding. Please basal up and close this incorrect for our state,” Sununu said successful a missive to the delegation that helium released to the press.

“After waiting respective months, we learned that without announcement oregon explanation, further Emergency Rental Assistance funds for New Hampshire person been rejected portion 28 different states astir the state person been fixed the resources for their programme to continue,” Sununu said.

“With skyrocketing inflation, acold upwind and the vacation season, this is the implicit worst clip for the national authorities to instrumentality this step.”

A transcript of the Sununu’s missive tin beryllium found here.

Sherman, a Rye Democrat, said, “Sununu’s mismanagement wasted $19 cardinal successful rental assistance during a lodging crisis, and present his mismanagement of national funds has jeopardized a further $67 cardinal successful rental assistance with rents skyrocketing and vigor prices soaring.”

Sununu’s spokesperson has not responded to a petition for remark regarding Sherman’s allegations.

“Sununu’s effect was to formed blasted alternatively of taking work for his administration’s actions. It’s nary surprise, since astatine the aforesaid clip helium was announcing plans to enactment successful a 2024 statesmanlike cattle telephone adjacent month,” Sherman said. 

Sherman blames Sununu saying helium is much focused connected his governmental ambitions than connected Granite Staters.

“Whether it’s his refusal to grow our vigor options, his inability to appropriately usage rental assistance funds, oregon his nonaccomplishment to code New Hampshire’s substance usage and intelligence wellness crises, Granite Staters are being wounded by his mismanagement,” Sherman said.

Sherman said Granite Staters are paying a “mismanagement taxation due to the fact that of Chris Sununu’s repeated failures to deliberation astir thing beyond his governmental ambitions.

“Sununu vetoed bipartisan measures that would person expanded our vigor options portion taking contributions from inferior companies, failed to walk $19 cardinal successful rental assistance during a lodging crisis, and present has mislaid further funds due to the fact that helium failed to negociate the programme appropriately. Winter is approaching, and Granite Staters volition beryllium paying the terms for Chris Sununu’s mismanagement,” Sherman said.

In the meantime connected Friday, New Hampshire Housing announced it is pausing incoming applications nether the NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Effective Friday, Oct. 21, caller applications volition not beryllium accepted pending a reappraisal of the existing pipeline of applications, the level of national backing available, and the presumption of existing authorities requests to U.S. Treasury for further funding, NH Housing said successful a quality release.

Support services volition proceed to beryllium disposable done the 5 Community Action Partnership (CAP) agencies, and each applications successful the pipeline volition beryllium reviewed and funded (pending eligibility). For updates astir the Emergency Rental Assistance Program go to the programme page.  States and localities crossed the state person been backing exigency rental assistance since 2021 with resources provided by the U.S. Treasury nether the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

This COVID-19 alleviation programme has kept radical housed who person been impacted economically by the pandemic. Without further reallocated funds oregon further Congressional authorization, those states and localities volition nary longer person resources disposable nether this program, according to NH Housing.  

NH Housing and the CAP agencies astir the authorities person been administering NHERAP since March 2021 and provided implicit $230 cardinal successful assistance to implicit 23,000 households successful each 10 counties.   For those who are stateless oregon astatine hazard for homelessness, interaction 2-1-1. For assistance with an eviction, interaction 603 Legal Aid, which provides escaped civilian ineligible services to low-income radical astatine (603) 224-3333. An overview of New Hampshire’s programme tin beryllium found here.

Those looking for further accusation and to entree supportive services should interaction their section Community Action Partnership (CAP) by visiting www.capnh.org.