2025 -- H 5948

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LC001356

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING

     Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Knight, Alzate, Morales, Casey, Giraldo, and
Kislak

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2025

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     (Dept. of Housing)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 45-53-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-53 entitled "Low and

Moderate Income Housing" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     45-53-12. Annual report.

     (a) The Rhode Island housing corporation established pursuant to chapter 55 of title 42 (the

“corporation”) shall collect data on the number of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, as

authorized by 42 U.S.C. § 1437(f) (“vouchers”), that are received and utilized by the public housing

authorities (PHA) and agencies.

     (b) The office of housing and community development (OHCD) department of housing

shall prepare a report (“report”) on an annual basis to the general assembly, the housing resources

commission, the Rhode Island housing corporation, the division of statewide planning, and the

secretary of housing. The report required by this section shall be made available on the OHCD

department of housing website for a period of at least three (3) years, and shall be deemed to be a

public record. The report shall be due on or before March 1 April 15 of each year, commencing in

the calendar year 2023 2026.

     (c) The annual report required by this section shall contain the following information for

the twelve-month (12) calendar period covered by the report commencing January 1, 2022, through

December 31, 2022, and annually thereafter on an aggregated and disaggregated basis by each

public housing authority:

     (1) The total fees collected by each municipality from developers in lieu of development

of low- and moderate-income housing as defined in § 45-24-46.1.

     (2) The number of unfunded vouchers that result either due to cost of rent or due to an

unavailability of housing units. The information required by this subsection shall be provided by

all public housing authorities or agencies directly to the office of housing and community

development (OHCD) department of housing.

     (3) The total number of vouchers received and utilized by all public housing authorities in

the state during the preceding calendar year.

     (4) The administrative fees received and utilized by the public housing authorities to

administer the vouchers.

     (d) As used herein, the term “public housing authority and agency” means and includes

any public housing authority or agency established under chapter 25 of this title or chapter 26 of

this title.

     SECTION 2. 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 -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING

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     This act would ensure that the Rhode Island department of housing is able to access the

full calendar year worth of housing choice voucher data for the annual report required by this

section by moving the report submission deadline back to align with availability of federal data.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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