2024 -- S 2765

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LC005341

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- CITY HOUSING AUTHORITIES

     Introduced By: Senators Acosta, Mack, Kallman, and Zurier

     Date Introduced: March 08, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 45-25 of the General Laws entitled "City Housing Authorities" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     45-25-10.7. City of Central Falls housing authority.

     Notwithstanding the provisions of § 45-25-10, the housing authority of the city of Central

Falls shall consist of five (5) members, one of which shall be a resident under an existing lease of

a public housing facility or resident under an existing lease who is being assisted under the Housing

Choice Voucher (Section 8) tenant based program in the city of Central Falls and be at least

eighteen (18) years of age. Said resident shall be appointed for a five (5) year term by the mayor

who shall make the appointment from a list of persons submitted to the mayor by the executive

director of the housing authority. The list shall contain no fewer than three (3) nominees. If fewer

than three (3) nominees desire or express a willingness to be considered for appointment, the mayor

may select one resident from the number of nominees who desire or express a willingness to be

considered. The method of selection of the residents to the list shall be determined by the mayor.

If the appointed resident member no longer lives in public housing, their office shall be deemed

vacated. The commission members of the city housing authority of the city of Central Falls shall

be approved by a majority of the members of the Central Falls city council and shall also be

residents of the city of Central Falls during the term of their appointment to the housing authority.

If any appointed member no longer lives in the city, their office shall be deemed vacated.

     SECTION 2. Section 45-26-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-26 entitled "Town

Housing Authorities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     45-26-4. Appointment, terms, and compensation of commissioner.

     (a)(1) When the town council adopts a resolution creating a town authority, the town

council shall appoint five (5) persons as commissioners of the town authority; provided, however,

that the town of Lincoln shall appoint seven (7) persons as commissioners of the town authority.

The commissioners who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms of one, two (2),

three (3), four (4), and five (5) years, respectively, from the date of their appointment, but,

subsequently, commissioners shall be appointed for a term of office of five (5) years, except that

all vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term, those appointments to be made by the town

council.

     (2) Provided, however, that the commission members of the town authority of the town of

Lincoln must be residents of the town of Lincoln during the term of their appointment. Provided,

further, that at least one of the commission members of a town authority must be a resident as well

as a resident of a public housing facility during the term of their appointment. A public housing

resident commissioner shall be appointed by the appointing authority from a list of nominees

chosen in open election by the occupants of public housing. Upon the failure of the election process,

there shall be a provision for an application process. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed

as preventing the appointing authority from appointing more than one resident of public housing to

the commission.

     (3) Provided, however that the commission members of the city housing authority of the

city of Central Falls must be approved by a majority of the members of the Central Falls city council

and must also be residents of the city of Central Falls during the term of their appointment to the

housing authority.

     (b) A commissioner of the town of North Providence shall receive twenty-five dollars

($25.00) per meeting but not in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) per year as compensation for

his or her services; provided, that a commissioner of the town of Coventry shall only receive

twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per attended meeting but not in excess of six hundred dollars ($600)

per year as compensation for his or her services, provided, further, that the chairperson of the

Coventry housing authority shall receive thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per attended meeting but not

in excess of eight hundred forty dollars ($840) per year as compensation for his or her services.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- CITY HOUSING AUTHORITIES

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     This act would establish the composition of the housing authority for the city of Central

Falls.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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