Housing advocates in Rhode Island are celebrating several recent legislative wins, including significant investments in affordable housing funding and expanded tenant protections. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed into law on June 17 the fiscal year (FY) 2025 state budget, which includes funding for housing stability, homelessness services, and a state rental registry. Notably, the budget also includes a $120 million housing bond proposal, the largest in the state’s history, which will appear on the ballot in November. Several other priority housing bills were also passed, increasing the time required for notices of rent raises and lease terminations. The Housing Network of Rhode Island (HNRI) and Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness (RICEH), both NLIHC state partners, worked hard to push for the historic advances, and both organizations are pleased to see state leaders continue to recognize housing stability and affordability as top priorities.
While details about the $120 million Housing and Community Opportunity Bond have not been finalized, the budget allocates $80 million to increase and preserve the availability of low- and moderate-income housing, including a $10 million set aside to support public housing development. The bond funding would also provide $10 million for property and land acquisition and revitalization, $20 million to increase production of low-, moderate-, and “middle-income” homes for sale, $5 million to support acquisition of properties for redevelopment as affordable and supportive housing, $4 million for site-related physical infrastructure needed for affordable housing production, and $1 million in assistance to municipalities to plan and implement land use and zoning changes that would enable additional housing development. The Housing Bond will now be presented to voters on the November ballot. If approved, advocates expect the funds would begin to be available in 2025. Other highlights from the FY25 budget include the allocation of $17.3 million in State Fiscal Recovery Funding for homeless services, the addition of $10 million from FY24 general reserves for housing stability services, and the inclusion of funding for a mandatory statewide rental registry (which was passed into law in 2023).
In addition to the state budget, several housing bills that were priorities for HNRI and RICEH were passed during the legislative session. “S-2189/H-7304” increases the time requirement notice for rental increases from 30 days to 60 days and for persons older than age 62 to 120 days, while “S-2643/H-7647” requires landlords and property owners to disclose all required rental fees that tenants are obligated to pay. Under the law, landlords are also prohibited from charging tenants a “convenience” fee to process a rental payment. Rhode Island joins a growing number of states and localities to have enacted renter protections targeting “junk” fees in the rental market, with NLIHC having tracked the passage of such laws in more than 30 state and local jurisdictions since January 2021. In 2024, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, and Minnesota have all passed laws targeting excessive fees for renters, including fees related to security deposit fees, tenant screening report fees, rental payment processing fees, eviction filing fees, and late fees for nonpayment of rent.
Lawmakers in Rhode Island also introduced three additional tenant protection bills, including “S-2920,” a “just-cause” eviction bill that would have mandated that a landlord could not evict a tenant without first providing good cause for doing so; the “Community Opportunity to Purchase Act,” which would have provided qualified nonprofits the right of first refusal; and a bill to update the state’s Homeless Bill of Rights. However, none of these bills were passed this session.
Laws that strengthen notice periods for tenants are a critical protection for tenants. The presence of such laws, especially in Rhode Island, can ensure that tenants are well-positioned to deal with an impending rental increase, giving them sufficient time to contend with changes to their lease agreement or to relocate. Since January 2021, NLIHC has tracked the passage of more than 40 pieces of legislation that strengthen notice period requirements for tenants, ensuring that tenants are given advance notice of essential information at all stages of their lease terms.
The Housing Bond bill was the top priority for HNRI’s Homes RI coalition and RICEH. While the governor initially proposed a $100 million bond, advocates consistently pushed for $150 million, pointing to the scale of the need for affordable housing development, the success of the investments of State Fiscal Recovery funding, and the need to sustain the momentum to address the state’s housing crisis. They also focused on the importance of targeting any new funding to affordable housing for lower-income households. Homes RI held multiple press conferences, issued press releases and calls to action, held events at the Statehouse, and led a sign-on letter to increase the bond funding. In addition to these activities, advocates credit their success to their longstanding relationships with legislators and close collaboration with tenant organizing groups as well as non-housing advocates, including land conservation and public transit coalitions.
“Legislative victories for housing and homelessness are not just about policy; they’re about affirming our collective commitment to ensuring every person has a place to call home,” said Kim Simmons, executive director at RICEH. “We commend the Speaker, the Senate President, many legislators and the Governor for their continued commitment to addressing the housing and homeless issues we are facing in Rhode Island, and we look forward to continuing the work until every Rhode Islander has a roof over their head and a bed to sleep in at night.”
“While sustained investments into affordable housing are needed, HNRI is encouraged by the progress made this legislative session to increase the stock of affordable homes, expand tenant protections and help keep Rhode Islanders stably housed – no matter their income or zip code,” said Melina Lodge, executive director of HNRI. “We will continue to advocate alongside our partners for policies that ensure decent, safe and affordable homes for all.”
Now that the legislative session has ended, HNRI will ramp up its nonpartisan election work through its Our Homes, Our Votes campaign, educating and mobilizing low-income renters across the state to vote in the November elections. As they receive more details about the Housing Bond proposal, they will determine how to incorporate this messaging into their communications with voters.
For more information about Housing Network, please visit www.housingnetworkri.org and Homes RI at https://homesri.org/. For more information about the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, please visit https://www.rihomeless.org/.