ONE Neighborhood Builders Executive Director Jennifer Hawkins is a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives’ Special Legislative Commission to Study Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Act.
The Commission has been meeting since summer 2021 to help identify the most effective ways to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis.
The Chairwoman of the Commission, Rhode Island Representative June Speakman, wrote an Op-ed that was published recently by Patch.com and is also published on the General Assembly’s website:
Op-ed: State must lead in addressing housing barriers
By Rep. June Speakman
Feb. 4, 2022
Since July, a group of talented, motivated stakeholders in our state’s housing arena have been lending their expertise to the House of Representatives to help identify the forces behind Rhode Island’s housing crisis and the most effective paths toward solutions.
This group—the Special Legislative Commission to Study Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Act — has heard from experts from across the policy spectrum. We have listened to planners from urban, rural and suburban communities; HousingWorks RI, the League of Cities and Towns and AARP; state agencies charged with housing policy; and community development corporations responsible for building housing. We will continue with appearances by builders, environmentalists, land use attorneys and Rhode Island’s new Deputy Secretary for Housing.
Several key themes have emerged that will guide our recommendations. We know:
Fully one-third of Rhode Island families — 139,000 households — are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
Too few new or rehabilitated houses and apartments have moved onto the market in the past 10 years.
The law requiring at least 10 percent of the housing stock in all Rhode Island communities be affordable has not worked. Only six of Rhode Island’s 39 municipalities meet that standard.
Rep. June Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol) is chairwoman of the Special Legislative Commission to Study Rhode Island’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Act.
”Fully one-third of Rhode Island families — 139,000 households — are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
The Commission’s work and material it has reviewed are all archived on the General Assembly’s webpage.
