The Laconia City Council has authorized the traditional traffic plan for Weirs Beach during Laconia Motorcycle Week in June, which includes parking for motorcycles on Lakeside Avenue, but it has delayed a decision on the number of vendors that will be allowed.
City Councilor Tony Felch wanted to allow the full complement of vendor booths, beer tents, and special entertainment stages, but fellow Councilor Henry Lipman expressed concerns about unrestricted Motorcycle Week activities before the coronavirus pandemic is contained. Councilor Bob Hamel agreed with Lipman.
City Manager Scott Myers recommended allowing only half the usual number of vendors and banning beer tents and special entertainment stages to keep the size of the crowd down. The council went along with Mayor Andrew Hosmer in delaying a decision on vendors and beer tents until it meets again on May 10.
Housing Discrimination
New Hampshire Legal Assistance’s Fair Housing Project has launched a website to help victims of housing discrimination. State and federal laws prohibit discrimination in the rental, sale, or financing of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, or gender identity.
People with disabilities are the largest segment of the population to claim discrimination, with complaints ranging from refusal to rent because of an assistance animal to refusing reasonable modifications, such as a ramp, that would allow people to fully use and enjoy their home.
Parents also face challenges from landlords about having children living in the home, and there has been a recent rise in complaints based on race and national origin.
Rental Assistance Delayed
Congress in December appropriated $25 billion in rental assistance, but millions of households and landlords have yet to receive that money. Meanwhile, Congress is set to approve an additional $20 billion in rental assistance as part of the $1.9 trillion relief package backed by the Biden administration.
Many states are still figuring out how to distribute the money they have already received so it reaches those who really need it while guarding against fraud. The delays reflect the complexities of starting a new system from scratch.
The United States Treasury Department has been working on guidelines for the states to protect against fraud after more than $520 billion of Paycheck Protection Program loans went out to small businesses with little in the way of required documentation.
The Urban Institute, a Washington think tank, calculated that the amount of unpaid rent may exceed $52 billion, with the average delinquent household owing $5,586. A Census Bureau survey found that 17 percent of renters — three times the normal rate — are now behind on their payments.
The News Café is a virtual meeting place where we discuss the news of the day. An effort by the Liberty Independent Media Project, the work does not rely on advertising, as most media outlets do, freeing us to provide an independent focus on events and cultural issues. Instead of advertising, the project relies on monetary support from donors and subscribers. If you like what we’re doing, please support us by giving what you can. Subscriptions to this newsletter are available for as little as $5 per month and, in exchange, you will receive all of the posts directly in your email in-box each weekday. Paid subscribers also have access to the web archives of all the newsletters. Subscribers can share their knowledge, thoughts, and questions about any topic, and we may select some of those subjects for more in-depth analysis.
If you’re unable to pay but still want to see weekly News Café’s posts, click the Subscribe button and choose a free subscription. You’ll get public posts in your in-box, and will be able to share them with your friends.
Either way, we invite you to fill your cup with your favorite drink, pull up a chair, and join us at The News Café as we build our community. www.libertymedianh.org