Speaker Shekarchi announces 2025 housing legislation

STATE HOUSE – House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi today announced a 12-bill package of legislation regarding housing issues, his fifth comprehensive suite of housing bills since becoming Speaker in 2021.

“When I announced my commitment to tackling Rhode Island’s housing crisis, I commented that our housing shortage had been decades in the making and would take a sustained effort, over the course of years, to address. Four years and almost 50 new housing laws later, we are still chipping away at the barriers that have made development in Rhode Island more costly and more cumbersome than necessary,” said Speaker Shekarchi. “The workers who are the backbone of our state – teachers, nurses, first responders, and other working families – deserve to be able to comfortably reside within the communities they serve.

“Furthermore, our housing shortage and homelessness crisis are very much intertwined. As home prices and rents increase, it’s not just working families who are getting priced out of the housing market: people on the lower end of the income spectrum are disproportionately affected, and the data shows that homelessness increases in correlation with the cost of housing. I am so appreciative of all of the partners who continue to work with me to address our housing shortage,” said Speaker Shekarchi.

Speaker Shekarchi was joined by Rep. June S. Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol), chair of the Special Legislative Commission to Affordable Housing; Thomas E. Deller, chair of the Special Legislative Commission to Study Land Use; Randy Rossi, Executive Director, and East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva, President of Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns; John Marcantonio, Chief Executive Officer, Rhode Island Builders Association; members of both commissions; legislators; housing and homelessness advocates; builders; and developers.

“We all know that the housing crisis is ongoing. Homes are too expensive and rents are too high. New families can’t find starter homes. Seniors can’t find apartments they can afford, and the needs of the homeless remain unmet,” said Chair Speakman. “These bills take us further down the road to addressing the crisis by streamlining approval processes and encouraging more flexible uses of our land and existing structures. There’s still more work to do, more pieces of the puzzle to fit in, but we’re getting there.”

The legislation announced today is a continuation of Speaker Shekarchi’s efforts to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis. In his previous legislative packages, Speaker Shekarchi has implemented significant reforms to make the development process in Rhode Island more consistent, concise, and equitable. The legislation has also been influenced by two housing commissions established by Speaker Shekarchi. His legislation is intended to be responsive to feedback from all stakeholders, and in that spirit, some of the legislation announced today would amend existing housing laws.

Much of the legislation stems from testimony and discussions of both commissions, which have been meeting regularly since July 2022 to address ways Rhode Island can meet its affordable housing needs in a manner that is sustainable and equitable.

“On the most complex of issues, the leadership and collaboration shown by Speaker Shekarchi on the housing issue is exemplary. From workforce training, permitting, land use and all the other variables involved, the Speaker continues to create a national example on how to bring people together to solve problems,” said John V. Marcantonio, Chief Executive Officer, Rhode Island Builders Association.

“Speaker Shekarchi’s announcement of his housing package is a critical step in addressing the housing challenges our state faces, and I am grateful for the Speaker’s dedication to addressing this crisis,” said Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard. “We are excited to build on this momentum and expand accessible, affordable housing options in Rhode Island, which has been a top priority of the McKee Administration. We look forward to reviewing the details and continuing to collaborate with the Speaker’s Office to make progress.”

The bills announced today are:

Building code: 2025-H 5804, sponsored by Speaker Shekarchi would build upon legislation introduced in last year’s housing package (2024-H 7983B, 2024-S 2990A), which codified the structure of the State Building Code Office and clarified the role of the State Building Code Commissioner. This legislation would provide additional clarity and centralize roles and quorums in order to further streamline the process and centralize the duties of the state officials, employees, commissions, and boards related to building and fire codes and permitting.
Expansion of electronic permitting: 2025-H 5803, sponsored by Speaker Shekarchi would build upon legislation introduced in last year’s housing package (H-2024 7978A, 2024-S 3036A) to expand the use of electronic permitting for building permits, which is mandated for planning and zoning applications by October of this year. This legislation requires that applications for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation utilize the e-permitting system by October 2026.
Technical amendments to Zoning Enabling Act and Subdivision Act: 2025-H 5794, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown) is based on feedback received from the Land Use Commission and various stakeholders, including local cities and towns, developers, advocates, planners and developers. The legislation seeks to clarify the processes set forth in the Zoning Enabling Act and Subdivision Act and to correct issues that are creating unnecessary delays and/or red tape. Additionally, Rhode Island’s Adaptive Reuse law (2023-H 6090A, 2023-S 1035A) is further clarified to encourage projects to continue to convert underutilized or vacant commercial buildings.
Low and Moderate Housing Act amendments: 2025-H 5801, sponsored by House Commission on Housing Affordability Chairwoman June S. Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol) furthers the work of the Affordable Housing Commission and implements feedback received by and from the commission. The legislation builds upon substantial amendments made to Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Housing Act via legislation sponsored by Chair Speakman (2022-H 7949Aaa, 2022-S 3046A) in 2022. This legislation further clarifies standards and findings required for development to remove subjectivity in the process.
Development of state-owned vacant properties for housing: 2025-H 5802, sponsored by Rep. Thomas E. Noret (D-Dist. 25, Coventry, West Warwick) would leverage data collected by the Commission to Study the Cost and Status of State-Owned Vacant Properties, which was established via a resolution (H-2022 7320Aaa) he sponsored to review state-owned vacant and/or abandoned properties that may be utilized for housing opportunities throughout the state. This legislation establishes a streamlined approval process to be used for such properties.
Temporary exemptions from the tax levy cap to accommodate new housing: 2025-H 5793, sponsored by House Labor Committee Chairman Arthur J. Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence) was requested by the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns; it would allow an exemption from the local annual maximum tax levy for new construction of housing under certain conditions. The exemption would be contingent upon approval by the municipality and is only allowed where the new housing includes a portion of affordable units, among other criteria.
Reliance on zoning certificates: 2025-H 5795, sponsored by Rep. Tina Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly) would allow purchasers to reasonably rely on zoning opinions issued by local officials. Presently, when a current or prospective property owner obtains a zoning certificate, the certificate is for instructive purposes only and not binding; this amendment would remove the non-binding nature of zoning certificates to allow property owners to rely on the municipal determination of the legality of the present use.
Village/mixed-use zoning requirements: 2025-H 5800, sponsored by Chairman Craven would require municipalities to provide for village or mixed-use zoning to allow residential use in some or all areas of their commercial zoning districts.
Higher density development in areas within the urban services boundary: 2025-H 5796, sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren) is designed to encourage higher density development in areas within the urban services boundary. The legislation provides that the city or town shall allow residential uses other than solely single-family units in these areas where public water and sewer are available.
Attached single family dwelling units: 2025-H 5798, sponsored by Chair Speakman is based on feedback from housing advocates and financial institutions regarding the demand for lower-cost home ownership opportunities, such as townhomes. This legislation encourages municipalities to allow such units where the structures share a party wall and a lot line, but are independent lots. The legislation would allow such type of units where zoning already allows the same density in a vertical style, by way of tenement or other two-, three-, or multi-family structures.
Infill/oversized lot subdivisions: 2025-H 5799, sponsored by Rep. Cherie L. Cruz (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket) is based on feedback presented to the Land Use Commission to take advantage of underutilized land in a community. It would allow oversized lots to be subdivided if the resulting lots are equal to or greater than the lots in the immediate area. Additionally, the legislation would allow administrative modifications of dimensional requirements based on the average dimensional standard of the surrounding structures.
Co-living housing opportunities: 2025-H 5797, sponsored by House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) would enable municipalities to allow for the use of co-housing arrangements as energy-efficient, low-cost housing options similar to dorms in which there are common spaces, amenities, and facilities, but residents have separate private bedrooms. This housing model has been adopted by other states as a cost-effective option.