Rhode Island Speaker Shekarchi Unveils Major Housing Legislative Package

The 15-bill package aims to address the state's housing crisis by facilitating new construction and improving affordability.

Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi introduced a comprehensive 15-bill housing legislative package to tackle Rhode Island's housing shortage.
The proposed legislation includes measures to ease the development of new housing, such as legalizing homes in commercial areas and modular houses in single-family neighborhoods.
Shekarchi emphasizes the package's potential to benefit families, young people, and seniors by increasing the housing supply without imposing costs on cities and towns.
The package also proposes a $100 million housing bond and includes bills to streamline municipal processes and encourage affordable housing development.
Opposition from some communities, like Narragansett, highlights the challenges in balancing state-wide legislation with local zoning laws.