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6/26/2024
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Rep. Craven and Sen. Lombardi’s legislation to spur home production signed into law
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Bills are part of Speaker Shekarchi’s 2024 legislative package addressing the housing crisis in Rhode Island
STATE HOUSE – Legislation sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Robert E. Craven and Sen. Frank S. Lombardi that would help spur more home construction within the state has been signed into law. The bill is part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) 15-bill package of legislation to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis.
“Too often, crucial and much-needed housing development has been stymied in our communities for various reasons, including excessive, and sometimes vague, red tape and development review procedures. This bill will prevent unnecessary delays and roadblocks at the local level while emphasizing the necessity to build more housing for our residents,” said Representative Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown).
“Rhode Island desperately needs more housing but development is frequently delayed or prohibited due to a wide range of municipal requirements and procedures. This legislation will bring more uniformity to housing development in the state and hopefully speed up the process of building the amount of housing that is crucial to our residents,” said Senator Lombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston).
The bills (2024-H 7951A, 2024-S 2988A) would clarify the circumstances under which a municipality can limit accepting and hearing development applications and limit building permits related to the development of housing, and specifies the timeframes in which those limitations can be in place.
The legislation states that limitations applied to residential building permits must be vital to protecting public health and welfare and it must be demonstrated that there is no other means available to protect public health and welfare given the need for additional housing units in the community.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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