A House commission on March 10 unveiled an 11-bill package designed to take additional steps to address the state’s affordable housing crisis.
The legislation call for a range of housing programs, including streamlining housing development, repurposing existing buildings and helping municipalities meet their affordable housing goals.
The proposals did not include cost estimates. But they follow steps taken last year to create a permanent stream for affordable housing, new restrictions on housing discrimination and the creation of a deputy secretary of housing.
On Jan. 4, the General Assembly approved $119 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding, part of Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s R.I. Rebounds program, with $29.5 million earmarked for affordable housing needs and human services.
And last December the state’s Housing Resources Commission awarded $31 million from a voter-approved $50 million housing bond to support 23 affordable housing projects.
McKee has also proposed $250 million in ARPA funding for the state’s housing needs over a six-year period in his proposed fiscal 2023 budget.
