What's New

The Department of Public Works has announced that the demolition and removal of the boiler house chimney at City Hall will begin after 6 pm on March 3, 2025. The process will take approximately seven working days to complete. The unused, 95-foot tall chimney has deteriorated significantly, with cracking and structural displacement leading to falling bricks and mortar. As a safety measure, the area underneath the chimney was cordoned off earlier this year. For this project, the City has hired Reneau Industries, a local contractor with experience in demolition.

The League of American Bicyclists has honored the efforts of the City of Portsmouth to build better places for people to bike by renewing its status as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC). The award recognizes Portsmouth’s commitment to improving conditions for all people who bike through investments in bike education programs, regular bike events that promote and encourage people to choose biking, pro-bike policies, and bike infrastructure.

The City of Portsmouth and The Kane Company announced today that they have reached a groundbreaking agreement that resolves the longstanding McIntyre lawsuits, representing a mutually beneficial outcome. In addition to resolving the lawsuits with no monetary damages for either party, the agreement demonstrates a shared commitment to addressing the housing crisis in Portsmouth, one of the City’s most pressing needs.

The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) has advised its member municipalities, including Portsmouth Community Power, that the electricity supply rates they had announced for the rate period February 1, 2025 through July 31, 2025 will increase on March 3, 2025. The new Granite Basic default rate for residential and small commercial customers will increase from 8.9 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 9.7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and remain in effect through July 31, 2025.

On January 2, 2025, the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) announced new electricity supply rates for Portsmouth Community Power (PCP) customers effective February 1, 2025 for the rate period ending July 31, 2025. The Granite Basic default rate for residential and small commercial customers is being set at 8.9 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

For the fifth year, the City of Portsmouth NH has "left the lights on" the holiday tree in Market Square and is inviting the public to help decorate the "Tree of Love" for the upcoming Valentine’s Day/Presidents’ Day weekend, February 14-17, 2025.

The City of Portsmouth NH recently received the Bronze Award designation from the national SolSmart program for encouraging the growth of clean, affordable solar energy at the local level.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

CDBG Public Facility and Accessibility Improvement Grants Available

At the December 16, 2024 City Council meeting, City Manager Karen Conard announced that $350,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) assistance would be distributed to local nonprofit human service agencies, concluding a monthslong process. Local agencies were invited to submit applications for the funds by November 27, 2024.

The City of Portsmouth is transitioning its official website domain and email from "cityofportsmouth.com" to "portsmouthnh.gov." Email services will be migrated first, on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, with the website to follow on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.