Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Property Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House amends bill to inventory state real property as step toward housing reuse
Summary
H.50, which directs the commissioner of Buildings and General Services to consolidate state property records to identify underused land or buildings for possible conversion to affordable housing, was amended and ordered read a third time.
The House considered H.50, legislation directing the commissioner of Buildings and General Services (BGS) to centralize an inventory of state‑owned land and buildings to identify properties potentially suitable for conversion into affordable housing.
The bill directs BGS to consolidate property listings into the existing ‘‘space book,’’ aiming to overcome fragmented records maintained by multiple agencies. The committee report noted that BGS, the Agency of Transportation (AOT), and the Agency of Natural Resources maintain separate records, complicating assessment of state holdings.
Representative Gregoire, speaking for the corrections and institutions committee, said the committee sought to create a comprehensive, accessible database so the legislature could make informed divestment or reuse decisions. He told members that the committee had heard from the bill sponsor, the BGS commissioner and deputy commissioner, the commissioner of human resources, and AOT’s project delivery business director. The committee voted 10‑0‑1 in favor of the amendment and recommended the amendment be adopted.
On the floor, members briefly interrogated the presenter about whether the committee had discussed emergency shelter use of state property. The presenter said there had been brief mention that some buildings could be used for such purposes, but no in‑depth conversation; the committee chose to complete the inventory first before pursuing policy decisions.
The House adopted the committee amendment and ordered third reading of H.50; the transcript records the amendment vote and the ordering of third reading but does not record a final passage vote in the excerpt.
