ICYMI: Pappas Talks Affordable Housing Solutions, Trump’s Costly Tariffs in Keene

KEENE, N.H. — In case you missed it, Congressman Chris Pappas recently toured an offsite housing fabrication facility in Keene to discuss innovative solutions to New Hampshire’s housing crisis, Granite State workforce challenges, and Trump’s costly tariffs driving up costs.

For more than fifty years, Bensonwood, a family-owned small business based in Keene, has specialized in sustainable, high-quality prefabricated homes that improve construction efficiency while reducing costs and environmental impact. 

“We need to ensure that we’re building more housing and that we’re doing it in a way that’s affordable for New Hampshire,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “We’re 90,000 units short of where we need to be by the end of the next decade statewide, so we’ve got a lot of progress to make and Granite State businesses like Bensonwood are helping chart the path forward. That’s one of the reasons why the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in Washington is so important.”

“Window prices have gone way up, some of the components that we use, too, and that gets passed on to the customer,” said Emily Benson, Bensonwood’s Employee Success Officer. “We’re still finding ways to improve our efficiencies and increase our revenue, but it’s a holding pattern. It feels like, because of [tariffs], finding people is hard and prices are going up. I don’t think people are pulling the trigger as fast on signing a contract, and all those things just add up.”

As Trump’s reckless tariffs, increasing global conflict, and heightened economic uncertainty drive housing costs up, hardworking New Hampshire families are being priced out. Chris Pappas is committed to making homeownership a reality for every Granite Stater, and he’s running for Senate to expand affordable housing options across New Hampshire.

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