2019 -- H 6197

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES - CITY HOUSING AUTHORITIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Casey, and Phillips

     Date Introduced: June 07, 2019

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 45-25-10 and 45-25-10.5 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-25

entitled "City Housing Authorities" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     45-25-10. Appointment and terms of commissioners -- Compensation, organization,

and personnel.

     (a) An authority consists of five (5) commissioners appointed by the mayor and he or she

shall designate the first chairperson; provided, that the housing authority of the city of Providence

consists of eleven (11) commissioners who are residents of the city of Providence, and the

housing authority of the city of Woonsocket shall consist of seven (7) nine (9) members, two (2)

of whom shall be occupants of public housing. At all times, three (3) of the commissioners must

be occupants of public housing, which commissioners shall be appointed from a list of nominees

chosen yearly by the occupants of public housing in open elections, each housing project

choosing three (3) nominees from among its occupants. Upon the determination of the appointing

authority that any commissioner has not been an occupant of public housing or not a resident of

the city of Providence for a period of six (6) consecutive months, the appointing authority shall

remove the commissioner and designate a person to fill the resultant vacancy; provided, that the

mayor choose the replacement from the list of nominees chosen yearly by the occupants of public

housing when appropriate. No commissioner may be a city or state official; provided, that

members of the housing authority of the city of Providence may serve on the city council.

     (b) The commissioners who are first appointed shall be designated by the mayor to serve

for terms of one, two (2), three (3), four (4), and five (5) years, respectively, from the date of their

appointment. Four (4) additional commissioners for the housing authority for the city of

Providence shall be designated by the mayor to serve terms of one, two (2), three (3), and four (4)

years, respectively, from the date of their appointment. The two (2) additional commissioners for

the city of Woonsocket shall be designated by the mayor to serve terms of one and two (2) years

respectively. Thereafter, the term of office shall be five (5) years. The two (2) commissioners for

the city of Woonsocket added in 2019 shall be designated by the mayor to serve five (5) year

terms. Two (2) additional commissioners for the housing authority of the city of Providence shall

be members of the city council elected by the city council from its councilmanic members to

serve for a term ending the first Monday in January, 1975, and, thereafter, elected for a term of

four (4) years. A commissioner shall hold office until his or her successor has been appointed, or

elected, and has qualified. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. Three (3)

commissioners constitute a quorum except that six (6) commissioners of the housing authority of

the city of Providence constitute a quorum and four (4) commissioners of the housing authority of

the city of Woonsocket shall constitute a quorum.

     (c) The mayor shall file with the city clerk a certificate of the appointment or

reappointment of any commissioner, and the certificate is conclusive evidence of the due and

proper appointment of the commissioner. A commissioner of the city of Providence shall only

receive twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per meeting, but not in excess of twelve hundred dollars

($1,200) per year as compensation for his or her services, and the commissioner is entitled to the

necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of his or her duties,

the compensation and expenses to be paid by the municipality of Providence; provided, that a

commissioner of the city of Pawtucket receives one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) per

year and is entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the

discharge of his or her duties, to be paid by the city of Pawtucket; provided, that a commissioner

of the city of Central Falls receives twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per meeting, but not in excess of

five hundred dollars ($500) per year, as compensation for his or her services, and the

commissioner is entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the

discharge of his or her duties, to be paid by the city of Central Falls.

     (d) Effective January 1, 1988, and thereafter, a commissioner of the city of Warwick

receives one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per year, and the chairperson of the Warwick

housing authority receives one thousand seven hundred dollars ($1,700) per year for their services

to be paid by the city of Warwick.

     (e) When the office of the first chairperson of the authority becomes vacant, the authority

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shall select a chairperson from among its members. An authority shall select from its members a

vice chairperson, and it may employ a secretary (who shall be executive director), technical

experts, and other officers, agents, and employees, permanent and temporary, that it may require,

and shall determine their qualifications, duties, and compensation. An authority may call upon the

city solicitor or chief law officer of the city for legal services, as it may require, or it may employ

its own counsel and legal staff. An authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or

employees the powers or duties that it deems proper.

     45-25-10.5. City of Woonsocket housing authority.

     (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 45-25-10, commencing January 1, 2002 the

housing authority of the city of Woonsocket is expanded in size from five (5) members to seven

(7) members. The two (2) additional members shall be residents of public housing facilities

and/or recipients of the authority's Section 8 tenant based program in the city of Woonsocket.

Each shall be appointed for a four (4) year term by the mayor, who shall make the appointments

from a list of interested residents of the public housing facilities and/or recipients of the

authority's Section 8 tenant based program in the city of Woonsocket as submitted by the

executive director. The method of selection of the residents to the list shall be determined by the

mayor. If any resident commissioner no longer lives in public housing and/or is no longer a

recipient of the authority's Section 8 tenant based program in the city of Woonsocket, his or her

office shall be deemed vacated.

     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 45-25-10, commencing January 1, 2019, the

housing authority of the city of Woonsocket is expanded in size from seven (7) members to nine

(9) members who shall be appointed by the mayor.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES - CITY HOUSING AUTHORITIES

***

     This act would add two (2) additional members to the Woonsocket housing authority to

be appointed by the mayor.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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