As New Hampshire’s Housing Crisis Worsens, Granite State Leaders Demand Transparency From Kelly Ayotte Over Blackstone Investments

As New Hampshire’s Housing Crisis Worsens, Granite State Leaders Demand Transparency From Kelly Ayotte Over Blackstone Investments
 

As New Hampshire’s housing crisis continues to spiral out of control, Nashua Alderman Derek Thibeault, Candidate for State Representative in Nashua Samantha O’Laughlin, and Deputy House Democratic Leader Laura Telerski demanded Kelly Ayotte provide Granite Staters with transparency over her Blackstone investments. 

In New Hampshire, the median price of a single-family home has increased 75% in just five years under NH GOP leadership, and has hit its third record high of $580,000 in two years under Kelly Ayotte’s failed leadership. Kelly Ayotte raked in millions of dollars serving on the Board of Directors at Blackstone, one of the nation’s largest landlords, and directly profited from New Hampshire’s housing crisis. 

Read excerpts from the press conference below.

Nashua Alderman Derek Thibeault: “Before she became governor, Ayotte served on the Board of Directors of Blackstone and was paid $150,000 a year from Blackstone, and last we knew, owned more than $2.2 million in stock through her role on the board. I’m not one to deal in hypotheticals, but if I were to guesstimate, if she never sold her stocks, they could be worth millions more. If Governor Ayotte still holds those shares, Granite Staters deserve to know. We shouldn’t have to wonder whether our governor continues to have a financial stake in one of the biggest players in the housing investment industry.”

Candidate for State Representative in Nashua Ward 9, Samantha O’Laughlin: “Across New Hampshire, average rent prices have skyrocketed to $2,100 a month. Think about that for a second. For young people like myself, paying for sky-high grocery costs, rising utility bills, and even student loans means we can’t afford another crushing bill. [...] Let’s be clear: this is Kelly Ayotte’s housing crisis. While families are struggling, Kelly Ayotte and Republicans in Concord are actively making our state’s housing crisis worse. Instead of investing in affordable housing solutions, Kelly Ayotte cut millions in funding for affordable housing initiatives at the exact moment Granite Staters are begging for relief. 

Deputy House Democratic Leader Laura Telerski: “It's fitting that we're standing right here today in front of a property owned by Blackstone, because this is exactly where the conversation about Kelly Ayotte's housing record belongs. [...] So today, I'm calling on Governor Ayotte to do something very simple. She must tell Granite Staters whether she has a financial stake in Blackstone, and if she does, divest. Kelly Ayotte needs to answer the people she was elected to serve, who continue to struggle every day from a housing crisis she has profited from, and frankly, Governor Ayotte's record on housing makes that question even more important. Since taking office, Ayotte slashed millions in funding for affordable housing initiatives like the Housing Champions Program, which helps Nashua and other communities build more workforce housing.”