R 400 |
2019 -- S 1005 Enacted 06/26/2019 |
S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON HOUSING, TASKED WITH CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF RHODE ISLAND'S HOUSING SYSTEM |
Introduced By: Senator Frank Lombardo |
Date Introduced: June 25, 2019 |
WHEREAS, According to the Federal government, housing is recognized as affordable if |
thirty percent or less of the household's yearly income is used on housing costs, and households |
are considered "cost burdened" if more than thirty percent of their yearly income is used on |
housing costs; and |
WHEREAS, Households are recognized as severely cost burdened when they spend more |
than fifty percent of their yearly income on housing costs; and |
WHEREAS, The increase in the cost of housing and the scarcity of new housing has |
caused more than one hundred and forty-five thousand households to be cost burdened in Rhode |
Island; and |
WHEREAS, The one hundred and forty-five thousand households that are considered |
cost burdened in Rhode Island represent thirty-five percent of all households in Rhode Island; and |
WHEREAS, Out of those one hundred and forty-five thousand households, forty-four |
percent are severely cost burdened; and |
WHEREAS, Households that are cost burdened have greatly affected our state's |
economy; and |
WHEREAS, In 2016, HousingWorksRI found that nearly one hundred and thirty-two |
thousand households could have spent more than nine hundred and forty million dollars in the |
economy, building equity in their homes, or affording daily necessities had they not been cost |
burdened; and |
WHEREAS, If a household only earned a yearly income of fifty thousand dollars, there is |
merely one municipality where it could affordably buy a median-priced home and only four |
municipalities where it could affordably rent a two-bedroom apartment; and |
WHEREAS, Rhode Island State Law sets a goal that ten percent of every municipality's |
housing units shall meet the guidelines of Low and Moderate Income Housing, but only six |
municipalities meet this goal; and |
WHEREAS, The increase in low vacancy rates has decreased the number of days a house |
or apartment is on the market, thereby increasing competition in the market and increasing sale |
prices; and |
WHEREAS, From 2016 to 2017, Rhode Island's multifamily building permits decreased |
by forty-four percent, while Boston and Connecticut saw drastic increases – such permits doubled |
in Boston and increased by eighty-nine percent in Connecticut, according to the 2018 Housing |
Facts Book by HousingWorksRI; and |
WHEREAS, Furthermore, in 2018, HousingWorksRI estimated that the projected need |
for additional housing in Rhode Island by the year 2025 will range from 32,550 to 34,790 |
multifamily units and from 5,000 to 5,800 single-family homes; and |
WHEREAS, Research has shown that there are significant health and social benefits |
when people are not constantly concerned about affordability and having to endure an unstable |
living environment; and |
WHEREAS, Children are negatively impacted by not having a stable living environment; |
for example, homeless children and youth have the highest rate of school absenteeism; and |
WHEREAS, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and other states have created task forces or |
commissions to assess housing demands, address affordable housing concerns, and develop plans |
to build housing units; now, therefore be it |
RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission on housing be and the same is hereby |
created consisting of fifteen (15) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode |
Island Senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the |
President of the Senate; and at least twelve (12) of whom shall have relevant experience in |
housing, business, finance, development, real estate, education, advocacy, academic research, or |
for-profit or nonprofit experience related to the goals of the commission, to be appointed by the |
President of the Senate; and |
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 Senate President or the Minority Leader of the political party that |
is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public. |
The purpose of said commission shall be to conduct a comprehensive review of Rhode |
Island's housing system, evaluate concerns that may impede development, and make |
recommendations to the Senate about ways to increase access to safe and affordable housing that |
meets the needs of a wide range of incomes and improves housing opportunities within the state. |
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
the call of the Chair of the commission, who shall be appointed by the President of the Senate. |
Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
A quorum of the commission shall consist of a majority of its membership, and the |
membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
The commission shall assemble no less than four (4) times, or more often at the call of |
the Chair, upon written notice of each meeting stating the place, day, and time of the meeting, |
along with the purpose and/or agenda of the meeting. |
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 Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further |
RESOLVED, That the commission shall report initial findings, recommendations, and |
potential legislative proposals on or before January 31, 2020, and a final report containing |
additional recommendations on or before October 16, 2020, to the President of the Senate, and |
said commission shall expire on December 31, 2020. |
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LC002858 |
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