 |
|
6/23/2025
|
General Assembly passes Speaker Shekarchi’s housing package
|
 STATE HOUSE – House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi announced that 10 bills in his package of legislation regarding housing issues have passed the General Assembly.
This is Speaker Shekarchi’s fifth comprehensive suite of housing legislation since becoming Speaker in 2021. His efforts have resulted in the enactment of nearly 50 new housing laws coupled with historic investments in affordable housing, including the creation of Rhode Island’s first-ever permanent funding stream for affordable housing production.
“Rhode Island’s housing crisis was decades in the making and is taking a sustained effort, over the course of years, to address. Prior to our recent efforts, the last substantive land use legislation passed in our state was in the 1990s. Since then, too many communities have become more and more restrictive about how much and what types of housing they’ll allow to be constructed. In fact, earlier this year, the U.S. Census released data showing that Rhode Island had the slowest rate of housing growth in the continental United States last year,” said Speaker Shekarchi. “That is simply unacceptable. Four years and almost 50 new housing laws later, we are still chipping away at the barriers that have made development in Rhode Island more costly and more cumbersome than necessary.
“Furthermore, our housing shortage and homelessness crisis are very much intertwined. It’s simple math: increased housing costs lead to increased homelessness,” continued Speaker Shekarchi. “However, we are making real, sustained progress. The General Assembly has enacted nearly 50 new housing laws already, one of which created Rhode Island’s first-ever court calendar dedicated specifically to housing and land use issues. Within the first year it was implemented, the backlog of pending cases was cut almost in half. Additionally, 2023 had a 70% increase in building permits sought in Rhode Island – the most in a single year since before the Great Recession. I am so appreciative of all of the partners who work with me to address our housing shortage, and this progress is the result of our collaborative efforts.”
The legislation is a continuation of Speaker Shekarchi’s efforts to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis. In his previous legislative packages, Speaker Shekarchi has implemented significant reforms to make the development process in Rhode Island more consistent, concise, and equitable. The legislation has also been influenced by two housing commissions established by Speaker Shekarchi. His legislation is intended to be responsive to feedback from all stakeholders, and in that spirit, some of the legislation included in this year’s package would amend existing housing laws.
Much of the legislation stems from testimony and discussions of both commissions, which have been meeting regularly since July 2022 to address ways Rhode Island can improve and meet its affordable housing needs in a manner that is sustainable and equitable.
The bills passed by the General Assembly are:
-
Building code: 2025-H 5804A/2025-S 1089Aaa, sponsored by Speaker Shekarchi and Senate Majority Leader Frank A. Ciccone III (D-Dist. 7, Providence, Johnston), would build upon legislation introduced in last year’s housing package (2024-H 7983B, 2024-S 2990A), which codified the structure of the State Building Code Office and clarified the role of the State Building Code Commissioner. This legislation would provide additional clarity and centralize roles and quorums in order to further streamline the process and centralize the duties of the state officials, employees, commissions, and boards related to building and fire codes and permitting. The bill also allows for the residential building code to apply to residential structures up to four units.
-
Expansion of electronic permitting: 2025-H 5803Aaa/2025-S 1087, sponsored by Speaker Shekarchi and Senate Committee on Commerce Chairman Robert Britto (D-Dist. 18, East Providence, Pawtucket) would build upon legislation introduced in last year’s housing package (H-2024 7978A, 2024-S 3036A) to expand the use of electronic permitting, which is mandated for planning and zoning applications by October of this year. This legislation requires that applications for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation utilize the e-permitting system by October 2026.
-
Technical amendments to Zoning Enabling Act and Subdivision Act: 2025-H 5794B/2025-S 1086Aaa, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown) and Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics & Oversight Chairman Mark McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), is based on feedback received from the Land Use Commission and various stakeholders, including local cities and towns, advocates, planners and developers. The legislation seeks to clarify the processes set forth in the Zoning Enabling Act and Subdivision Act and to correct issues that are creating unnecessary delays and/or red tape. Additionally, the requirements and process for conversions of commercial and industrial structures to residential (2023-H 6090A, 2023-S 1035A) are further clarified to continue to encourage projects to convert underutilized or vacant commercial buildings. This bill also would allow oversized lots to be subdivided if the resulting lots are equal to or greater than the lots in the immediate area. Additionally, the legislation would allow administrative modifications of certain dimensional requirements based on the average dimensional standard of the surrounding structures.
-
Low and Moderate Housing Act amendments: 2025-H 5801A/2025-S 1088, sponsored by House Commission on Housing Affordability Chairwoman June S. Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol) and Sen. Tiara T. Mack (D-Dist. 6, Providence) furthers the work of the Affordable Housing Commission and implements feedback received by and from the commission. The legislation builds upon substantial amendments made to Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Housing Act via legislation sponsored by Chair Speakman (2022-H 7949Aaa, 2022-S 3046A) in 2023. This legislation further clarifies standards and findings required for development to remove subjectivity in the process and further encourages the development of projects including at least 25% affordable housing across the state.
-
Temporary exemptions from the tax levy cap to accommodate new housing: 2025-H 5793A/2025-S 1091, sponsored by House Labor Committee Chairman Arthur J. Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence) and Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee Chairman Jacob E. Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence) was requested by the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns; it would allow the taxes on new housing units to not be counted toward the maximum tax levy cap under certain conditions. The exemption would be contingent upon approval by the municipality and is only allowed where the new housing includes a portion of affordable units, among other criteria.
-
Reliance on zoning certificates: 2025-H 5795/2025-S 1084A, sponsored by Rep. Tina Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly) and Senate Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies Committee Chairwoman Victoria Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown), would allow purchasers to reasonably rely on zoning opinions issued by local officials. Presently, when a current or prospective property owner obtains a zoning certificate, the certificate is for instructive purposes only and not binding; this amendment would remove the non-binding nature of zoning certificates to allow property owners to rely on the municipal determination of the legality of the present use.
-
Village/mixed-use zoning requirements: 2025-H 5800/2025-S 1090A, sponsored by Chairman Craven and Chairman Bissaillon, would require municipalities to provide for village or mixed-use zoning to allow residential use in some or all areas of their commercial zoning districts.
-
Higher density development in areas within the urban services boundary: 2025-H 5796aa/2025-S 1092, sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren) and Sen. Alana M. DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham), is designed to encourage additional development in areas within the urban services boundary. The legislation provides that the city or town shall allow residential uses other than solely single-family units in these areas where public water and sewer are available.
-
Attached single family dwelling units: 2025-H 5798Aaa/2025-S 1083A, sponsored by Chair Speakman and Sen. Meghan E. Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, Providence), is based on feedback from housing advocates regarding the demand for lower-cost home ownership opportunities, such as townhomes. The legislation would allow such type of units where zoning already allows the same density in a vertical style, by way of tenement or other two-, three-, or multi-family structures.
-
Co-living housing opportunities: 2025-H 5797A/2025-S 1085, sponsored by House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) and Chairwoman Gu, would enable municipalities to allow for the use of co-housing arrangements as energy-efficient, low-cost housing options similar to dorms in which there are common spaces, amenities, and facilities, but residents have separate private bedrooms. This housing model has been adopted by other states for seniors and young professional as a cost-effective option while preserving the community environment.
For more information, contact:
Emily Martineau, Deputy Director of Communications for the Office of the Speaker
State House Room 323
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2466
|
|