2026 -- H 7778

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LC004937

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

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

     Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Morales, Azzinaro, Read, Fascia, Shallcross
Smith, Biah, Messier, Serpa, and Fellela

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2026

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 45-53-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-53 entitled "Low and

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

     45-53-14. Database of low-income rental units Database of low- or moderate- income

rental units.

     (a) The executive office of housing established pursuant to § 42-167-1 or the Rhode Island

housing and mortgage finance corporation established pursuant to § 42-55-4 (the “corporation”)

shall maintain host an online database (“database”) of residential developments that meet the

definition of low- or moderate-income housing under § 45-53-3 low-income housing tax credit

developments that are designated only for households at or below sixty percent (60%) of area

median income, adjusted for household size and subsidized housing developments, as referenced

in the corporation’s Rhode Island resource guide, which are designated only for households at or

below eighty percent (80%) of area median income, adjusted for household size (collectively “low-

income rental units”) in the state on the executive office of housing or the corporation’s website.

The corporation shall place an emphasis on To the extent possible, the database containing shall

contain the following:

     (1) Current, updated information on the existing inventory of low- or moderate-income

rental units housing in the state;

     (2) The contact person or entity and contact information pertaining to individual

developments;

     (3) To the extent the information is available, a A copy of the application to apply for

housing in individual developments; and

     (4) Information pertaining to any special populations, including, but not limited to, elderly,

disabled, homeless individuals, and victims of domestic violence, served by individual

developments.

     (5) To the extent possible, the database shall allow individuals to identify the different

types of affordable housing they are interested in and be alerted when developments that meet that

criteria become available for lease or sale.

     (b) This database shall be accessible to the public by July 1, 2023.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 45-53 of the General Laws entitled "Low and Moderate Income

Housing" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     45-53-14.1. Listing by owners of low- or moderate-income housing.

     (a) Any owner of a property qualifying as low- or moderate-income housing, as defined by

§ 45-53-3, shall list that property on the database referenced in § 45-53-14.

     (b) For developments completed after January 1, 2027, the property should be listed prior

to or concurrently with the opening of the property for lease-up, accepting applications or, in the

case of homeownership units, listing units for sale.

     (c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section, low- or moderate-income

homeownership units shall only be listed on the database prior to their initial sale and prior to or

concurrently with listing the property for re-sale.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.

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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 amend the current law on low-income housing to include moderate-income

housing and would eliminate the income percentages used to determine qualifications for low- or

moderate-income housing. The act would also add the executive office of housing to the

government office that is required to host a database containing rental or sale of residential units.

Additionally, the act would require owners of property qualifying as low- or moderate-income

housing, to list the property on the database with certain exceptions.

     This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

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