Rep. Woodin Page introduces bill targeting maintenance of vacant downtown buildings

Representative Woodin Page, of Newport, presented H109 to the Government Operations & Military Affairs committee, a bill intended to strengthen municipal authority to address deteriorating buildings in designated downtown districts.

Page said Newport has a large vacant building that once housed a J.J. Newberry's store; the structure is "looking very tired" and, if left unrepaired, could need demolition. He framed the bill as a tool to help downtown-designated areas recover and attract businesses, visitors and residents. "Whatever the reason is for those buildings needing [repair], they need to be looked after if our designated downtown areas are going to flourish," Page said.

Page invoked the "broken-windows" concept in describing how visible deterioration can send a message that a neighborhood is uncared for and depress economic activity. He acknowledged that owners may let buildings sit because repairs are expensive, to maintain a tax asset, or because financing and market conditions do not support restoration.

Committee members asked clarifying questions. One member asked about the footprint and scale of the J.J. Newberry's building; Page described it as a "fairly large building" with multiple floors and retail space. Representatives discussed related local examples of long-vacant properties and redevelopment timelines. Page said his bill is not a complete solution to struggling downtowns but could give municipalities an additional enforcement option to encourage repairs or rehabilitation.

There was no formal vote or adoption; the committee indicated it will continue refining draft language and consider how the measure would interact with other programs and statutory limits. Representative Page and counsel will remain available for follow-up on specifics such as what standards would trigger municipal action and whether financing or assistance pathways were appropriate.