The bill amends Section 45-53-10 of the General Laws to establish a program for the repurposing of vacant school buildings into affordable housing, administered by the Department of Housing. It requires each municipality to provide the department with a complete list of buildings abandoned or no longer being used by the school district for the purpose of conducting feasibility assessments to repurpose these buildings as affordable housing. The bill removes previous stipulations regarding the percentage of low- or moderate-income housing in municipalities, thereby extending access to all municipalities.

Additionally, the bill introduces a task force, convened by the secretary of housing, which includes representatives from the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation, the Department of Environmental Management, the Department of Health, and a fire marshal. This task force is responsible for developing assessment criteria to conduct preliminary assessments to determine if a building may be repurposed into affordable housing.

The bill outlines the process for conducting feasibility studies, which must be completed within 180 days after the Department of Housing has been notified of the availability of a vacant building. If a building meets the preliminary assessment criteria, the department may facilitate a feasibility study to determine the anticipated costs to repurpose the building for affordable housing. Once a building is deemed appropriate for repurposing through a completed feasibility study, the Department of Housing, in collaboration with the respective municipality, may invite prospective developers to submit proposals for redevelopment of the site through a competitive process.

Furthermore, the Department of Housing is tasked with promulgating rules and maintaining a dedicated webpage for the program, detailing the outcomes of feasibility assessments and associated costs. An annual report on the status of vacant schools and repurposing efforts will be provided by the secretary of housing starting in 2023. This act would take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
6067: 45-53-10
6067  SUB A: 45-53-10