Lourey Savick | Oppose HB1499

As clergy in New Hampshire I see that funds donated by my congregation, which in another time would have gone toward supporting the dignity of families in my care by helping someone purchase durable medical equipment, fill a prescription, pay a heating bill, and helping parents choose Christmas gifts for their kids, can now only be used to help pay rent, or repairs on cars, which now serve as many residents' homes. This resource and other resources are increasingly consumed by the homelessness crisis.  I work in the same building as the day center for Family Promise, and I see the many hours that parents are working and the lengths to which they will go to provide security and housing for their children. As a pastor, I have accompanied people through the legal process to become a permanent resident or citizen, and I have seen how in recent years that process has become even more lengthy, complex, and backlogged because of the delay in the federal government processing immigration applications. This makes immigration status unclear, and it doesn't benefit anyone to increase housing insecurity as well. It does not make our community more secure to take away housing because of the failure of a government process. It does not make sense to increase the burden on the judiciary branch in light of this issue. The work of landlords is not easy, but this bill does not give landlords new options not already provided under law.  It only takes away the requirements of evidence for their claims. This bill would increase the size of government and its cost, it would increase the backlogs and delays for landlords and tenants coming before the court, and it would increase the anxiety of housing insecurity we're already suffering from in New Hampshire.   It's bad for the community.  It does not make us safer.  Please do not support this bill.