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HB 5948

AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Karen Alzate and 6 co-sponsors

The bill tightens annual reporting on low/moderate income housing by standardizing voucher data and fees in lieu, improving transparency for policy planning.

06/24/2025 Signed by Governor
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Bill Summary · HB 5948

Summary — HB 5948 (Sub A): Low and Moderate Income Housing (R.I.)

Status: Signed by Governor (effective upon passage, 06/24/2025)
Introduced: 02/28/2025 (Substitute A) — House Municipal Government & Housing
Statute amended: R.I. Gen. Laws § 45‑53‑12 (Annual report on low and moderate income housing)

Purpose / Intent

The act revises the annual reporting requirements on low‑ and moderate‑income housing to improve the completeness and timing of data about Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), municipal “fees in lieu,” and related program activity. The goal is to ensure the State has a full calendar year of voucher data and clearer, standardized information for planning and oversight.

Key provisions and changes

  • Responsibility and roles
    • Directs the Rhode Island Housing Corporation to collect data on the number of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers received and utilized by public housing authorities (PHAs).
    • Assigns the Department of Housing (formerly referenced as the Office of Housing and Community Development — OHCD) to prepare the required annual report and make it publicly available.
  • Report timing
    • Moves the annual report deadline to April 15 each year (previously March 1) to align with federal voucher data availability. The report requirement is stated to commence in calendar year 2023.
  • Report publication and retention
    • The report must be posted on the Department of Housing website and kept available for at least three (3) years. The report is designated a public record.
  • Required report contents (for each 12‑month calendar period)
    1. Total fees‑in‑lieu collected by each municipality, projects funded by those fees, amounts allocated, and number of units created — municipalities must provide this data directly to the Executive Office of Housing.
    2. Number of “unfunded” vouchers (e.g., due to rent costs or lack of available units / “leasing potential” per HUD definitions) — PHAs must provide to the Department of Housing.
    3. Total number of vouchers received and utilized by all PHAs in the state during the preceding calendar year.
    4. Administrative fees received and used by PHAs to administer vouchers.
  • Definitions
    • Clarifies that “public housing authority and agency” includes entities established under chapters 25 or 26 of Title 45.

Who is affected

  • Rhode Island Housing Corporation and Department of Housing (reporting and data collection duties)
  • Municipalities (must report fees‑in‑lieu data)
  • Public Housing Authorities and agencies (must report voucher utilization, unfunded vouchers, and administrative fee usage)
  • Housing resources entities receiving the report: General Assembly, Housing Resources Commission, Rhode Island Housing & Mortgage Finance Corporation, Division of Statewide Planning, and the Secretary of Housing
  • Developers and low/moderate income housing programs indirectly, through increased transparency of fees and voucher barriers

Effective date and legislative action

  • Effective upon passage (signed by Governor on 06/24/2025).
  • Substitute A introduced 02/28/2025; recommended and passed by committee, passed both chambers (House 06/16/2025; Senate concurrence 06/18/2025), transmitted to and signed by Governor 06/24/2025.

This act aims to improve state tracking of voucher utilization and municipal fee‑in‑lieu activity to better inform housing policy and resource allocation.

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

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