HOUSING FACT or FICTION

The lack of affordable housing throughout New Hampshire and the attitudes and misperceptions that have led to this crisis will be examined in HOUSING FACT or FICTION, a new series of short films by award-winning producer Jay Childs.

Each episode will weave in housing facts – and fictions – to explain why New Hampshire has a critical shortage of housing. The episodes also will explain the implications the housing shortfall has for the state’s economy and the well-being of its citizens. The series will tackle some of the most pervasive myths that have slowed progress on building the more than 23,500 housing units needed to meet the state’s urgent demand. HOUSING FACT or FICTION episodes will use data, facts, and stories from NH communities to debunk myths.


EPISODES

WHO LIVES IN WORKFORCE HOUSING?
In this episode, we look at who lives in workforce housing, and meet people living and working in Lancaster and Portsmouth who have struggled to find an affordable home for themselves and their families. The terms workforce housing and affordable housing are often misunderstood. Workforce housing includes housing of many types for people of all ages with a range of incomes. It is housing that is affordable to the workforce, retirees, and others in our communities.

WHAT IS WORKFORCE HOUSING?
In this episode, we tackle the term “workforce housing.” We hear this term often in our conversations about the housing crisis. But jargon can be confusing. When we talk about workforce housing, what are we talking about? The answers may surprise you.


HOUSING FACT or FICTION is an offshoot of the two-part award-winning documentary film series Communities & Consequences (2008 and 2020) that explored the economic and social realities of NH’s demographics, and the role local policies play. The films and two books documented NH’s struggle to provide housing for residents of all ages, income levels, and backgrounds. The HOUSING FACT or FICTION film series will separate facts from fiction on issues related to workforce and affordable housing, and their impact on communities.