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3/6/2025
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Chairman Craven introduces two bills to address housing crisis
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Legislation is part of Speaker Shekarchi’s 2025 12-bill housing package
STATE HOUSE – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert E. Craven Sr. has introduced two pieces of legislation that would make it easier to build much-needed housing in Rhode Island.
Both bills are part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) 12-bill package of legislation regarding housing issues, his fifth comprehensive suite of housing bills since becoming Speaker in 2021.
“While our state desperately needs new housing construction of all kinds, these two bills will help ease the often-difficult process of building more housing. The only way out of Rhode Island’s housing crisis is to build more units and these two pieces of legislation will assist in making that goal a reality,” said Chairman Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown).
The first bill (2025-H 5794) is based on feedback received from the House Commission on Land Use and various stakeholders, including local cities and towns, developers, 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, Rhode Island’s Adaptive Reuse law (2023-H 6090A, 2023-S 1035A) is further clarified to encourage projects to continue to convert underutilized or vacant commercial buildings. The bill would take effect upon passage and it has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
The second piece of legislation (2025-H 5800) 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. The bill would take effect on January 1, 2026, and it has been referred to the House Municipal Government and Housing Committee.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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