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.)

H7778

2026 -- H 7778
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LC004937
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING

Introduced By:
Representatives Noret, Morales, Azzinaro, Read, Fascia, Shallcross
Smith, Biah, Messier, Serpa, and Fellela

Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026

Referred To:
House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 45-53-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-53 entitled "Low and
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Moderate Income Housing" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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45-53-14.
Database of low-income rental units
Database of low- or moderate- income
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rental units.
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(a) The
executive office of housing established pursuant to § 42-167-1 or the
Rhode Island
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housing and mortgage finance corporation established pursuant to § 42-55-4 (the “corporation”)
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shall
maintain

host
an online database (“database”) of
residential developments that meet the
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definition of low- or moderate-income housing under § 45-53-3

low-income housing tax credit
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developments that are designated only for households at or below sixty percent (60%) of area
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median income, adjusted for household size and subsidized housing developments, as referenced
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in the corporation’s Rhode Island resource guide, which are designated only for households at or
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below eighty percent (80%) of area median income, adjusted for household size (collectively “low-
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income rental units”)
in the state on
the executive office of housing or
the corporation’s website.
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The corporation shall place an emphasis on

To the extent possible,
the database
containing

shall
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contain
the following:
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(1) Current, updated information on the existing inventory of low-
or moderate-
income
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rental units

housing
in the state;
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(2) The contact person or entity and contact information pertaining to individual
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developments;

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(3)
To the extent the information is available, a

A
copy of the application to apply for
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housing in individual developments; and
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(4) Information pertaining to any special populations, including, but not limited to, elderly,
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disabled, homeless individuals, and victims of domestic violence, served by individual
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developments.
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(5) To the extent possible, the database shall allow individuals to identify the different
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types of affordable housing they are interested in and be alerted when developments that meet that
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criteria become available for lease or sale.
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(b) This database shall be accessible to the public by July 1, 2023.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 45-53 of the General Laws entitled "Low and Moderate Income
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Housing" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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45-53-14.1. Listing by owners of low- or moderate-income housing.

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(a) Any owner of a property qualifying as low- or moderate-income housing, as defined by
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§ 45-53-3, shall list that property on the database referenced in § 45-53-14.
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(b) For developments completed after January 1, 2027, the property should be listed prior
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to or concurrently with the opening of the property for lease-up, accepting applications or, in the
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case of homeownership units, listing units for sale.
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(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section, low- or moderate-income
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homeownership units shall only be listed on the database prior to their initial sale and prior to or
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concurrently with listing the property for re-sale.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING
***
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This act would amend the current law on low-income housing to include moderate-income
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housing and would eliminate the income percentages used to determine qualifications for low- or
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moderate-income housing. The act would also add the executive office of housing to the
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government office that is required to host a database containing rental or sale of residential units.
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Additionally, the act would require owners of property qualifying as low- or moderate-income
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housing, to list the property on the database with certain exceptions.
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This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
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LC004937
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LC004937 - Page 3 of 3