Speaking Up for Manchester Families on Housing
Last night I stood before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at City Hall and spoke about something I hear about constantly from neighbors here in Ward 7: the cost of housing in our city.
I went as a resident, not as a candidate. I went as a husband, a father of two young boys, and a business owner who believes Manchester's best days are still ahead of it.
Why housing
For many people, the American Dream begins with having a safe place to call home. That dream is getting harder to reach in Manchester. Young families are struggling to buy a first home. Seniors on fixed incomes are watching costs climb faster than their budgets. Teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters are finding it harder to afford living in the very city they serve.
This is not only a housing issue. It is an economic issue, a workforce issue, and a community issue. The same rising costs that price out young families and seniors are also fueling the housing instability we see on our streets. If we want real progress on homelessness, we have to build the affordable and workforce housing that gives people a stable place to land.
What I asked the Board to consider
I told the Board that as Manchester grows, we have to grow wisely. That means:
Encouraging responsible development that expands housing while protecting the character of our neighborhoods
Making it easier to redevelop vacant and underused properties
Reducing unnecessary delays in the permitting process
Supporting a wider range of housing options, from starter homes and townhouses to workforce housing and apartments working families can actually afford
Growth should never come at the expense of our neighborhoods. But neither should fear of change stop us from addressing a problem that affects thousands of our neighbors.
I also said something I believe strongly: residents deserve to be heard before major decisions are made. The strongest solutions come when local government and the community work together. That is not a slogan. It is the reason I showed up and signed the speaker list like any other resident.
Manchester is worth it
Manchester has always been a city built by hardworking people. People who believe that if you work hard, raise your family, and contribute to your community, you should be able to build a good life here.
That is a vision worth protecting. I want a Manchester where our children can afford to stay, where our seniors can afford to remain, and where our workforce can afford to live.
I am grateful to the Mayor and the Aldermen for their service, and for the time they gave me. This is a conversation I intend to keep having, at City Hall, in Concord, and at doors across Ward 7.
If housing costs are weighing on your family, I would like to hear about it. Reach out anytime.
The statement I submitted to the Board
Below is the full text I read and provided to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on July 7, 2026.
Good evening, Mr. Mayor and members of the Board.
My name is Henry Emele, and I am a proud resident of Ward 7. I am a husband, a father of two young boys, a business owner, and someone who believes deeply in the future of Manchester.
I want to thank each of you for your service to our city. Tonight, I would like to speak about one of the greatest challenges facing Manchester: housing affordability.
For many people, the American Dream begins with having a safe place to call home. Today, that dream is becoming more difficult to achieve. Young families are struggling to buy their first home. Seniors on fixed incomes are worried about rising housing costs. Teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and many of the people who serve our community are finding it increasingly difficult to afford living in the very city they work so hard to support.
This is not just a housing issue. It is an economic issue, a workforce issue, and a community issue.
The same rising costs that price out young families and seniors are also fueling the housing instability we see on our streets today. If we want real progress on homelessness, we have to build the affordable and workforce housing that gives people a stable place to land, and I want to support the work this Board has already started.
As Manchester continues to grow, I believe we must grow wisely. We should encourage responsible development that expands housing opportunities while protecting the character of our neighborhoods. We should make it easier to redevelop vacant and underused properties, reduce unnecessary delays in the permitting process, and support a wider variety of housing options, from starter homes and townhouses to workforce housing and apartments that working families can actually afford.
Growth should never come at the expense of our neighborhoods, but neither should fear of change prevent us from addressing a problem that affects thousands of our neighbors.
I also believe this conversation must include the voices of the people who live in our communities every day. Residents deserve opportunities to be heard before major decisions are made, because the strongest solutions come when local government and the community work together.
Manchester has always been a city built by hardworking people, people who believe that if you work hard, raise your family, and contribute to your community, you should have the opportunity to build a good life here.
That is a vision worth protecting.
I hope we can continue working together to make Manchester a city where our children can afford to stay, where our seniors can afford to remain, where our workforce can afford to live, and where future generations will have the same opportunities that drew so many of us here.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to the people of Manchester.
Henry Osinachi Emele
Resident, Ward 7
