Housing

signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 18, 2026

HB 7778: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING

Amends the current law on low-income housing to include moderate-income housing and eliminates the income percentages used to determine qualifications for low or moderate income housing.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands low-income housing eligibility to include moderate-income, removes restrictive income thresholds, increasing accessibility for housing programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 8015: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HOUSING RESOURCES ACT OF 1998 -- COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND REHABILITATION ACT OF 2004

Affordable housing includes an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) where it’s a long-term rental unit in a municipality with no ordinance requiring a minimum lot size for ADUs.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly includes ADUs as affordable housing, promoting development by removing lot size barriers in municipalities without such ordinances.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 2578: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

Permits but not directs a municipality to establish, by ordinance, certain requirements regarding accessory dwelling units regarding ownership for 5 years, non-family ADUs to be rented at affordable rates and limit size to 1,000 sq. ft.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates affordable rental rates for non-family ADUs, directly increasing affordable housing supply through zoning requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 7530: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE

Exempts homes under two thousand (2,000) square feet from automatic statewide IECC energy mandates, allowing municipalities to decide whether to adopt climate-focused building code requirements for small and modest homes.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyExempts small homes from statewide IECC energy mandates, weakening uniform climate-focused building code requirements by allowing municipalities to opt out.92% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentExempts small homes from automatic IECC energy mandates, weakening statewide climate-focused building code requirements and allowing municipalities to opt out of environmental standards.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts small homes from energy mandates, reducing construction costs and potentially enabling more affordable housing development by easing regulatory burdens.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Building Codes

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Jun 9, 2026

SB 2584: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- HOME-FIT DWELLING UNITS

Creates the home-fit dwelling units act to apply to all new construction of covered dwelling units to incorporate design features that provide safe and convenient use of to the greatest extent feasible, regardless of age or physical ability.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates accessible design in new housing construction, advancing universal accessibility standards for housing.85% confidence

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in committee · Rhode Island · Senate Feb 27, 2026

SB 2703: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- PROPERTY TAX/RENT FREEZE BILL

Prohibits cities or towns that implement a rent control ordinance from raising property taxes and such prohibition would last for as long as the rent control ordinance is in effect.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesProhibits property tax increases for municipalities with rent control, restricting local government revenue during rent control periods.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill prohibits property tax hikes on rent-controlled properties, enabling cities to maintain tenant protections without financial disincentives for rent control ordinances.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Property Tax Property Taxes Renters Tenant Rights

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 29, 2026

HR 8208: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $200,000 TO THE HOUSING NETWORK: THE RHODE ISLAND ASSOCIATION OF NONPROFIT HOUSING DEVELOPERS, DBA HOUSING NETWORK OF RHODE ISLAND

This bill authorizes a $200,000 funding allocation to the Housing Network of Rhode Island, a nonprofit organization that supports housing developers across the state. It directly provides financial resources to help the Housing Network carry out its work assisting nonprofit housing developers in Rhode Island. The resolution is a straightforward budgetary action, not a policy change, and would be used to support the organization's existing programs. It was introduced to the House Finance committee on February 27, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $200,000 to fund housing nonprofit's existing programs, directly increasing state budget allocation for housing services.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingFunds nonprofit housing developer support organization, directly advancing affordable housing programs through budget allocation95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations

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signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 19, 2026

HB 7491: AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE TO ISSUE NOT TO EXCEED $25,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES TO FUND THE PROVIDENCE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO FINANCE AFFORDABLE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS IN THE CITY

Authorizes the city of Providence to issue not more than $25,000,000 in general obligation bonds and notes to fund the providence housing trust fund to finance affordable multi-family housing projects in the city.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $25M in bonds to fund affordable housing, advancing public service spending under government fiscal management.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly authorizes $25M in bonds to fund affordable multi-family housing projects via Providence Housing Trust Fund, directly advancing affordable housing development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Housing Finance

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 8085: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS

HB 8085 would allow people convicted of petty misdemeanors to have their criminal records permanently removed from public access one year after completing their sentence. This bill directly affects individuals with minor criminal convictions who currently face barriers to employment or housing due to these records. The key provision lowers the waiting period for expungement from longer terms (which may have existed under prior law) to just one year post-sentence. If passed, it would make the expungement process more accessible for this specific group of offenders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables expungement of petty misdemeanor records after 1 year, reducing employment/housing barriers and advancing criminal justice reform by lowering recidivism.92% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves criminal record barriers to housing access, aiding tenant eligibility and reducing housing discrimination barriers for those with petty misdemeanor convictions.80% confidence

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died · Rhode Island · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 7567: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES -- TAX DEFERRAL PROGRAM

This bill establishes a property tax deferral program for Rhode Island senior citizens (62+), disabled residents (as determined by the Social Security Administration), and disabled veterans (as determined by the Veterans Administration). Eligible homeowners can delay paying property taxes on their primary residence (including manufactured homes) until the property is sold, transferred, or upon the death of all owners, with 6% annual interest added to the deferred amount. The program excludes properties with reverse mortgages or less than 20% equity, and the state will fund it with $2 million annually starting in fiscal year 2027. Local tax collectors must report deferral claims by January 31 each year, and deferred taxes become a lien on the property.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax deferral relief for seniors/disabled, reducing immediate tax burden (explicit tax relief for vulnerable groups).95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides property tax deferral for seniors/disabled homeowners, preventing displacement and supporting housing stability for vulnerable groups.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly includes disabled veterans (VA-determined) in property tax deferral program, providing financial relief as a benefit.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives Property Taxes

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