The bill amends Section 45-53-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-53, establishing a program for the repurposing of vacant school buildings into affordable housing. The program will be administered by the Secretary of Housing and aims to provide guidance and assistance in identifying and repurposing unused school buildings. Starting October 1, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will annually provide a list of abandoned or unused school buildings to the Secretary of Housing, the Speaker of the House, and the President of the Senate. The bill also mandates that each municipality must submit a complete list of such buildings for feasibility assessments, which will now be conducted by the Department of Housing rather than a task force.

Key changes in the bill include the deletion of specific requirements for municipalities with varying levels of low- or moderate-income housing, allowing all municipalities to participate in the program. The timeframe for conducting feasibility assessments has been extended from 150 days to 180 days. Additionally, the Department of Housing is tasked with maintaining a dedicated webpage for the program, providing transparency on feasibility assessments and their outcomes. The bill also requires the Secretary of Housing to submit an annual report starting in 2023, detailing the status of vacant schools and any developments related to their repurposing.

Statutes affected:
6067: 45-53-10