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S 982

Adds Fishkill Creek to the definition of inland waterways

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rob Rolison

The bill creates a 5-year Anti-Displacement Pilot Program selecting up to 15 ZIP codes with high rental concentration, poverty, and eviction indicators to preserve affordable housi

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Bill Summary · S 982

Bill Summary — S.982 (filed Jan 12 / introduced Mar 12, 2025)

Title (provided): Adds Fishkill Creek to the definition of inland waterways
Note: The bill text attached to S.982 does not concern Fishkill Creek. The text filed by Senator Lydia Edwards creates an Anti‑Displacement Pilot Program (amendment to Section 16G.5). This summary describes the program in the bill text.

Purpose / Intent

The bill establishes a statewide Anti‑Displacement Pilot Program (a tenant’s opportunity to purchase pilot) to identify ZIP codes experiencing high displacement risk and pilot local tenant/municipal interventions to preserve housing and reduce displacement in those areas.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 16G.5 by inserting a new pilot program provision following subsection (c).
  • Application process:
    • A city or town may apply (per the procedure in section 4 of chapter 4 of the General Laws).
    • Applications are forwarded to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) for review and ZIP‑code selection.
  • Scope and selection:
    • The program will create regulations/standards to select up to 15 ZIP codes statewide to participate.
    • Selected ZIP codes must meet eligibility criteria (see below).
  • Eligibility criteria for ZIP codes / applicants:
    • Rental housing concentration: ZIP codes with at least 70% rental units.
    • Displacement crisis indicator: measured by evictions and applications for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program.
    • High poverty: measured by percent of residents at or below the federal poverty line.
  • Regulatory and timing requirements:
    • EOHLC must promulgate regulations with stakeholders by December 31, 2025.
    • EOHLC shall accept applicants by June 30, 2026.
    • The pilot will operate for 5 years.
    • At the end of the pilot, EOHLC must produce a report with recommendations to improve, expand, continue, or terminate the program.

Who would be affected

  • Cities and towns that apply to participate.
  • Tenants and tenant organizations in selected ZIP codes (potentially benefiting from purchase opportunities and anti‑displacement measures).
  • Property owners and landlords in targeted ZIP codes.
  • State Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (administration, regulation, reporting).
  • Housing service providers (e.g., RAFT program administrators) and community stakeholders consulted in rulemaking.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Intended benefits: preserve affordable rental housing, provide tenants opportunities to purchase buildings or units, reduce eviction‑driven displacement, and generate evidence for expansion or refinement of housing anti‑displacement strategies.
  • Administrative effects: EOHLC will incur rulemaking, selection, oversight, and reporting responsibilities; local governments may need staff capacity to apply and implement.
  • Equity targeting: the selection criteria focus on high‑rental, high‑poverty, and eviction‑impacted neighborhoods, prioritizing communities at acute risk of displacement.
  • Evaluation: a mandated 5‑year pilot period and final report aim to produce actionable recommendations for future policy decisions.

Procedural status (from provided actions)

  • Introduced in the Senate: March 12, 2025 (filed Jan 12, 2025).
  • Referred multiple times to committees including Housing and Environmental Conservation.
  • Regulatory deadline in bill: regulations by 12/31/2025; applicant acceptance by 6/30/2026.
  • A public hearing was scheduled for 11/19/2025 (per the record).
  • Note: the legislative actions list contains duplicate and somewhat inconsistent entries (passes, referrals, and returns). The text here reflects the version filed by Senator Lydia Edwards and the program described therein.

If you want, I can:
- Extract the exact amended statutory text formatted side‑by‑side with current Section 16G.5, or
- Draft a concise one‑page explainer for community groups and municipal officials on how to apply if the bill becomes law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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