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3/10/2022 Housing bills introduced
Bills developed based on work of ongoing House commission
 
STATE HOUSE – House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Rep. June S. Speakman, chairwoman of the Special Legislative Commission to Study the Rhode Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act, today announced a package of 11 bills to help address the state’s housing crisis.

The bills aim to streamline development, provide more complete and timely information about housing and help municipalities meet their affordable housing goals.

“Today’s announcement would not have happened without the work of Rep. June Speakman and her leadership of the special legislative commission to study Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Act. I thank all of the members of this commission who brought varied expertise to the table and have worked tirelessly to spotlight issues holding back development in our state.  Rhode Island needs more housing, but getting there isn’t just about building more homes. We need to look at the myriad rules and regulations that make building a challenge, streamline efforts so that good work isn’t happening in a vacuum, and hold policy-makers accountable,” said House Speaker Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick).  

The legislation was developed based on the work of the special House commission, which includes legislators, housing advocates, municipal officials and developers and has been meeting biweekly since July to help identify ways Rhode Island can meet its affordable housing needs. The bills, which were all introduced in the House earlier this week, are only the first bills to be generated through the work of the commission, which is expected to continue its exploration of housing issues for at least another year.

“Our commission has heard from experts from across the policy spectrum, from planning officials to developers to advocates for housing and the environment. What we’ve learned is that, while we are facing a broad array of challenges including our governmental structures and the magnitude of the demand, we have the expertise in this state to develop equitable, sustainable solutions to our housing crisis. I look forward to the work ahead, because I’m confident that with leadership, collaboration and flexibility, we can develop the safe, comfortable, affordable, environmentally sound housing that Rhode Islanders should have,” said Chairwoman Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol).

Chairwoman Speakman is sponsoring a comprehensive bill (2022-H 7949) that updates the Low and Moderate Income Housing Act, streamlining the procedure for approval. It revises the State Housing Appeals Board (SHAB) appeal procedure and the board’s composition. It also improves an approved monitoring agent program overseen by the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission to ensure that municipally subsidized affordable housing developments remain affordable housing.

Joining Speaker Shekarchi and Chairwoman Speakman at a State House news conference today announcing the bills were members of the commission, legislators, housing advocates and developers.

“HousingWorks RI applauds Speaker Shekarchi and LMIH Commission Chairwoman Speakman for providing critical leadership and direction as our state tackles housing challenges. The proposed package of legislation begins to address some of the local barriers preventing the development of more homes in our communities. Removing these barriers, in combination with significant investment of federal and state dollars, will go a long way to help us address this complex problem. These past few years have reminded us all of how critical it is to have a safe and affordable home. Housing advocates have long said that the path to economic opportunity begins at your front door,” said Brenda Clement, director of HousingWorks RI, which advances housing affordability by collecting, analyzing and communicating information about housing throughout the state. 

Said Melina Lodge, who is executive director of the Housing Network of Rhode Island/ Community Housing Land Trust of Rhode Island and a member of the special commission, “The Housing  Network of Rhode Island and its member organizations greatly appreciate Speaker Shekarchi’s leadership in reconvening the LMIH Commission to better orient stakeholders to the current constraints in developing low and moderate income housing and to hear about strategies that could improve existing systems and processes. The package of housing bills being presented today directly responds to and address a number of the concerns and roadblocks that have been elevated during commission hearings and are necessary changes to increase the supply of affordable homes in Rhode Island and ensure that all Rhode Islanders have access to homes that are affordable to them in the community of their choice. “

Besides Speaker Shekarchi and Chairwoman Speakman, the 11 bills in the package are sponsored by Representatives Mia A. Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln), Jacquelyn Baginski (D-Dist. 17, Cranston), Arthur J. Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence), Thomas E. Noret (D-Dist. 25, Coventry, West Warwick) and Brandon Potter (D-Dist. 16, Cranston).

The bills represent the second package of housing bills backed by House leaders in as many years. Last year, the General Assembly enacted several proposals from the House’s package, including one that created the special creating a permanent stream of affordable housing funding, another that now prohibits housing discrimination against those who receive Section 8 or other housing assistance, and another establishing a “housing czar” within the Executive Office of Commerce. That position would be elevated to cabinet level under one of the bills (2022-H 7940) in this year’s package. The Special Legislative Commission to Study the Rhode Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act was also created by one of last year’s housing bills, sponsored by Speaker Shekarchi.

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.


Descriptions of the bills are below:

2022-H 7949 Rep. Speakman
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Updates the low and moderate income housing act.
  • Revises the procedure for approval of construction of low or moderate income housing and removes the requirement of a pre application conference.
  • Revises the State Housing Appeals Board (SHAB) appeal procedure as outlined below in 2022-H 7945.
  • Revises the composition of SHAB and requires the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission to provide all space, clerical, and other assistance as the board may require.
  • Improves an approved monitoring agent program for which the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission shall appoint and oversee approved monitoring agents.
  • Provides that the Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of the program on or before July 1, 2023.
 
 
2022-H 7940  Speaker Shekarchi
AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF COMMERCE
  • Elevates the position of Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Housing to the Secretary of Commerce for Housing, a cabinet-level position within the executive branch of government, reporting to the Governor.
  • The Secretary of Commerce for Housing would retain all the powers, duties, responsibilities, and obligations of the Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Housing.
  • Effective July 1, 2022.

     
2022-H 7945 Rep. Speakman
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Requires the State Housing Appeals Board (SHAB) to issue decisions and orders no later than 9 months after receipt of the applicant’s statement. If the decision and order is not issued within 9 months, a judgment shall be entered in favor of the applicant.
  • Amends the composition of SHAB by adding:
    • A member selected by the Speaker of the House and another selected by the Senate President. 
    • 2 more alternates selected by the Speaker of the House.



2022-H 7941 Speaker Shekarchi
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Provides that multi-family rental apartment units built under a comprehensive permit may be calculated towards meeting the requirements of a municipality's low or moderate income housing inventory.
  • Requires that at least 25% of the units created are deed restricted for households earning not more than 60% of AMI.
 
 
2022-H 7943 Rep. Baginski
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING  
  • Establishes the repurposing of schools and other vacant and unused municipal buildings for an affordable housing program, which shall be administered by the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation.
  • Requires the League of Cities and Towns to provide Rhode Island Housing with a list of all vacant and unused municipal buildings.
  • Requires the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission and the Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning to investigate, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Management, the Department of Health, a Fire Marshall, the local building inspector, and the local zoning officer, any potential conversion.
  • Once a building is determined to be appropriate for conversion, Rhode Island Housing shall invite prospective developers to bid on the repurposing.
 
 
2022-H 7942 Rep. Ackerman
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – ZONING ORDINANCES
  • Revises the definition of an accessory dwelling unit and removes the requirement that an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) be occupied by someone related by family to the principal residence.
  • Streamlines the application process for small scale ADU development proposals.
  • Allows for ADUs in large lot residential districts.
  • Allows municipalities to count ADUs toward low and moderate income housing requirements and goals.
 
2022-H 7946 Rep. Noret
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Requires Rhode Island Housing to:
    • Maintain records on the number of Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers which are received and utilized by each municipality, housing authorities, and agencies.
    • Report on its website the dollar amount received by public housing agencies for administering the Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
 

 
2022-H 7948 Rep. Potter
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Provides that mobile and manufactured homes may be included in calculating the number of total year-round low and moderate income housing and rental units and the conditions that would allow for that (e.g., income eligibility, 10 year minimum deed restriction).
 
2022-H 7944 Rep. Corvese
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Requires the Statewide Planning Division to establish an affordable housing online database which shall include the following information:
    • A list of low and moderate income housing units in the state, identified by each municipality.
    • The number of active applications pending for a comprehensive permit application to build affordable housing and the number of applications which have had permits issued for affordable housing plans, aggregated by each municipality.
    • A list of available affordable housing units along with contact information for the rental or purchase of these units.
 
2022-H 7950 Rep. Speakman
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Improves an approved monitoring agent program for which the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission shall appoint and oversee approved monitoring agents.
  • Provides that the Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of the program on or before July 1, 2023.
 
 
2022-H 7947 Rep. Potter
AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
  • Requires Rhode Island Housing to maintain records and prepare reports on a biannual basis to the General Assembly, the Housing Resources Commission and the Secretary of Commerce for Housing.
  • The reports shall be made available on Rhode Island Housing’s website for a period of at least 3 years and shall include the total amount of fees collected and payments made in lieu of taxes that were collected by each municipality.




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