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2/14/2022 Media Advisory: Housing commission to meet with new deputy housing secretary tomorrow
STATE HOUSE – The newly appointed deputy commerce secretary for housing will meet with the Special Commission to Study the Low and Moderate Income Housing Act.

The commission meets tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the House Lounge.

On the agenda is an overview on housing policy by Deputy Commerce Secretary for Housing Josh Saal. Saal was recently appointed to the position, which was created through a budget initiative proposed by House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi.

No public testimony will be taken at this meeting. The meeting will be live streamed at http://rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx, and will be televised on Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox Channels 15 and 61, in high definition on Cox Channel 1061, on Full Channel on Channel 15 and on Channel 34 by Verizon subscribers.

The commission, led by Rep. June S. Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol), is studying barriers to affordable housing creation and identify ways to help cities and towns meet their obligations under the Low and Moderate Income Housing Act to ensure that at least 10 percent of their housing stock qualifies as affordable.

Besides Chairwoman Speakman, the commission includes Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence), Rep. Michael W. Chippendale (R-Dist. 40, Foster, Glocester, Coventry), Rhode Island Foundation President and CEO Neil Steinberg,  ONE Neighborhood Builders President and Executive Director Jennifer Hawkins, Grow Smart Rhode Island Executive Director Scott Wolf, Pawtucket Central Falls Development Corporation Executive Director Linda Weisinger,  Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness Executive Director Caitlin Frumerie, Rhode Island Association of Realtors Government Affairs Director David Salvatore,  Rhode Island Builders Vice President David Caldwell, Housing Network of Rhode Island/Community Housing Land Trust of Rhode Island Executive Director Melina Lodge,  Rhode Island Housing Executive Director Carol Ventura, Robert Marshall of the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council, Glocester Town Planner Karen Scott, Providence Department of Planning Director Community Development Emily Freedman, Barrington Tax Assessor Ken Mallette and Jongsung Kim of the Bryant University Department of Economics.



For more information, contact:
Larry Berman, Communications Director for the Office of the Speaker
State House Room 322
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2466