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5/1/2024
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Media Advisory: Short-term rental commission to meet today
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STATE HOUSE – The special legislative commission studying the economic and social effects of the short-term rental industry will meet this afternoon with fire officials to discuss health and safety concerns with short-term rentals.
The Special Legislative Commission to Review and Provide Recommendations for Policies that Deal with Numerous Economic and Social Short-Term Rentals Issues will meet today, Wednesday, May 1, at 2 p.m. in Room 135 on the first floor of the State House.
On the agenda are, Chief Deputy Fire Marshal David Pastor and Portsmouth Fire Chief Paul Ford, both of whom will discuss health and safety regulations. No public testimony will be taken at this meeting.
The meeting will be televised on Capitol Television on Cox Communications channel 61, i3 Broadband (formerly Full Channel) channel 15 and Verizon channel 34. It will also be live streamed at capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/.
The commission was created as a result of legislation (2023-H 6449) sponsored last year by Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport), who serves as its chairwoman. It is reviewing all current and existing Rhode Island statutes on short-term rentals, Department of Business Regulation registrations process and enforcement, municipal vs. state regulation, taxation, the impact on year-round and local housing markets and neighborhoods, health and safety concerns and best practices in other states and communities. The commission is working to establish a working definition of “short-term rentals;” engage the public and community stakeholders including property owners, industry representatives, police and fire chiefs and zoning and planning officials for input; develop an understanding of the nature, extent and scope of short-term rental activity; and identify specific benefits, problems or issues associated with short-term rentals and how they vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and municipality to municipality.
In addition to Chairwoman Carson, commission members include Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Portsmouth, Middletown); Rep. Thomas E. Noret (D-Dist. 25, Coventry, West Warwick); Rep. Robert J. Quattrocchi (R-Dist. 41, Scituate, Cranston); Division of Taxation Tax Administrator Neena S. Savage; Division of Statewide Planning Assistant Chief Roberta Groch; Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns Associate Director Jordan Day; Rhode Island Hospitality Association Chief Operating Officer Heather R. Singleton; Rhode Island Association of Realtors Vice President of Public Affairs David Salvatore; Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Kristen Adamo; Newport Mayor Xaykham “Xay” Khamsyvoravong; Warwick Principal Planner Sean Henry; Carol Mossa, owner of a small, owner-occupied short-term rental; and Greer Gagnier, executive director and founder of the Rhode Island Short Term Rental Association.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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