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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND REVIEW THE

COST AND STATUS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND OWNED, VACANT, AND

ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR METHODS TO

MITIGATE THE ASSOCIATED EXPENSES

     Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Casimiro, Corvese, Solomon, Bennett, Batista,
Craven, Shanley, Vella-Wilkinson, and Kazarian

     Date Introduced: February 02, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     WHEREAS, “The mortgage foreclosure crisis of the late 2000s created an epidemic of

vacant and abandoned properties throughout neighborhoods and cities across the United States"

and "Rhode Island, and Providence in particular, were identified as areas ‘hardest hit’ by the

foreclosure crisis at the end of the last decade" according to the U.S. Treasury; and

     WHEREAS, Vacant properties can include abandoned, boarded-up buildings; unused lots

that attract trash and debris; vacant or under-performing commercial properties known as

greyfields (such as under-leased shopping malls and strip commercial properties); and neglected

industrial properties with environmental contamination known as brownfields; and

     WHEREAS, Often these structures have been unoccupied for over a year and/or are

beyond repair, can pose a serious danger to public safety, and require costly insurance and

additional expenses to the State, with that expense growing every year the property remains

vacant or abandoned; and

     WHEREAS, The State must address the increasing number of vacant and abandoned

properties, not only because of the negative impact they have on the surrounding community, but

because of the numerous costs they impose; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of thirteen (13) members: four (4) of whom shall be members of the House of

Representatives, not more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island League

of Cities and Towns, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Tax Administrator, or

designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island General Treasurer, or designee; one of whom

shall be the RI Building Code Commissioner, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of

the Department of Administration, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney

General, or designee; one of whom shall be a real estate attorney, to be appointed by the Speaker

of the House; one of whom shall be a Rhode Island home builder, to be appointed by the Speaker

of the House; and one of whom shall be the Chair of the Rhode Island State Properties

Committee, or designee.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party

which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the member of the general public.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and review of

the costs and status of state owned vacant and abandoned properties and provide

recommendations for methods to mitigate the associated expenses including, but not limited to:

     Summarize the many and varied costs that vacant and abandoned properties impose;

     Find ways to recapture and assess the value in vacant properties, bringing vitality back to

     once blighted neighborhoods; and

     Streamline the approval process for returning tax-delinquent properties to productive use;

     and

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

House of Representatives no later than May 1, 2023, and said commission shall expire on June

30, 2023.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND REVIEW THE

COST AND STATUS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND OWNED, VACANT, AND

ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR METHODS TO

MITIGATE THE ASSOCIATED EXPENSES

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     This resolution would create a thirteen (13) member special legislative study commission

whose purpose it would be to study and provide recommendations to mitigate the associated costs

for State owned vacant and abandoned properties, and who would report back to the House no

later than May 1, 2023, and whose life would expire on June 30, 2023.

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