The proposed bill, General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 6496, aims to facilitate the conversion of vacant motels into multifamily housing. It establishes a program of incentives, which will be administered by the Department of Housing, to allow municipalities to convert motels to multifamily housing as a matter of right. Additionally, the bill mandates that municipalities must permit such conversions if the motel has been vacant for a specified duration or if the property has been seized due to violations or classified as a nuisance due to neglect.

The bill seeks to address housing shortages by repurposing underutilized motel properties, thereby promoting more efficient use of existing structures. The proposed changes in the law will streamline the conversion process and provide municipalities with the necessary incentives to support these transformations, ultimately contributing to the availability of multifamily housing options in the community.