MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Thursday night, the Manchester Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) granted several variances to an existing congregate housing facility that will allow six new units that could be used to house mentally ill homeless individuals in the city.
Representatives of the Mental Health Center of Manchester came before the board seeking the six required variances to construct an additional floor at their facility on Manchester Street as well as other modifications to that property needed due to the addition such as two additional parking spaces.
The need for the variance arose from a New Hampshire Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that eventually led to the state’s various regional mental health centers all needing to construct additional living units to accommodate mentally ill individuals due to a lack of space forcing involuntary emergency admission for mentally ill individuals in local hospitals.
Representatives of the Mental Health Center of Manchester gained support for the expansion from Manchester Director of Homeless Initiatives Schonna Green and indicated that creating a new facility elsewhere would require hiring additional staff, which would be onerous due to the current job market.
Abutters to the property, located at 323 Manchester St., were supportive of both the Mental Health Center of Manchester and the operations of the facility itself, which currently provides congregate housing for up to 16 individuals.
Members of the ZBA also were universally supportive, with comments of support offered by ZBA members Michael Simoneau, Greg Powers, Jim Roy and Robert Breault.
Additional information on the proposed addition and variances can be found below.
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