2021 -- H 5953

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LC002108

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE LOW AND

MODERATE INCOME HOUSING ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Shekarchi, Kislak, Morales, Potter, Alzate,
Williams, Knight, Donovan, and Henries

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2021

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Act requires that

housing in twenty-nine of Rhode Island’s communities be comprised of at least 10 percent

“affordable” housing. Ten communities are exempt due to their percentage of rental housing

and/or current affordable housing inventory; and

     WHEREAS, To date, out of those twenty-nine cities and towns, only New Shoreham has

met the target, and only five of the state's total 39 cities and towns: Central Falls, Newport, New

Shoreham, Providence and Woonsocket, have met the mandate threshold, with many of the state's

cities and towns seemingly disregarding the benchmark; and

     WHEREAS, There exists a high concentration of poverty in the cities of Central Falls,

Providence, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket; and

     WHEREAS, There is a paramount need for millennial housing for young professionals to

stabilize and grow cities such as Central Falls, yet there are very few affordable home ownership

opportunities, and the majority of housing consists of rental units in triple-deckers owned by

absentee landlords; and

     WHEREAS, According to the Housing Works Report, across the United States, 47.5

percent of Latino households own their own homes, but in Rhode Island, according to the 2018

State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, that number is drastically lower at 27.73 percent; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island also has one of the lowest non-white homeownership rates in

the United States and of the State’s overall total homeownership rate of 61.8 percent, only

approximately half that number is non-whites. Rhode Island was ranked as the 44th lowest state

in the nation for existing homeownership disparity by PROSPERITY NOW; and

     WHEREAS, Although redlining, the practice of limiting lending in certain

neighborhoods regardless of the individual's creditworthiness, is banned by federal law, it

continues to plague our state's minority neighborhoods; and

     WHEREAS, It is essential that these institutional practices, discriminatory actions, and

public policies be addressed and that solutions be found; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of sixteen (16) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island

House of Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by

the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the President of the RI Builders Association, or

designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing, or designee; one

of whom shall be the President of the Housing Network of Rhode Island, or designee; one of

whom shall be the Executive Director of Grow Smart RI, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, or designee; one of whom

shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, or designee; four

(4) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, two (2) of whom

shall be residents of a Rhode Island city or town with a population of 35,000 or more residents,

and two (2) of whom shall be residents of a Rhode Island city or town with a population of less

than 35,000 residents, all of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom

shall be the Executive Director of Pawtucket-Central Falls Development, or designee; one of

whom shall be the President and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, or designee; and one of

whom shall be from One Neighborhood Builders, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

is entitled to the appointment consents to the member of the general public.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the Rhode

Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act including, but not limited to a review of:

     1. State-wide data for low and moderate income housing by city and town;

     2. Cities' and towns' strategic economic and housing plans;

     3. The Brookings Institute reports and other relevant data referencing affordable housing;

and

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     4. Cities' and towns' compliance, performance, and barriers to implementation; and

     The commission shall provide recommendations for aiding cities and towns to

successfully meet requirements of the Act.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson from among the

legislators.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state, shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

House of Representatives no later than December 16, 2021, and said commission shall expire on

April 17, 2022.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE LOW AND

MODERATE INCOME HOUSING ACT

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     This resolution would create a sixteen (16) member special legislative study commission

whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study on implementation of the Low and

Moderate Income Housing Act in the State of Rhode Island, and who would report back to the

House of Representatives no later than December 16, 2021, and whose life would expire on April

17, 2022.

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