S 3335Government Assets

Towns and Cities - General Powers - City of Warwick

This bill allows the city of Warwick to sell a specific piece of property at 34 Warwick Lake Avenue.

Signed into law73 Yea0 Nay2 Not voting

Population
Affected

Introduced May 29, 2026Committee Senate Housing & Municipal Government

Plain-English Summary

This bill amends state law regarding the sale of public lands given to a city or town as a gift. Generally, municipalities are not allowed to sell or give away land acquired this way. This legislation creates a specific exception for the city of Warwick, allowing it to sell or convey a single parcel of real estate located at 34 Warwick Lake Avenue. The bill notes that any previous deed restrictions on this specific property have already legally expired.

For younger readers

Usually, when someone gives land to a city as a gift, the city has to keep it forever and cannot sell it. This bill changes the rules just for one piece of land in the city of Warwick. It gives Warwick permission to sell a specific piece of property at 34 Warwick Lake Avenue because the old rules saying they had to keep it have run out.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

City of Warwick officialsWarwick taxpayersReal estate buyersNeighboring property owners

Impacted communities

Warwick

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. The bill simply authorizes a municipality to convey a specific parcel of land it owns, noting that previous deed restrictions have already legally expired. It does not implicate free speech, due process, or unreasonable searches and seizures.

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Allows the city to sell unused land, potentially generating new revenue that could be used to fund local public services and community welfare programs.
Frees up a specific parcel of land for potential redevelopment, which could be utilized for community-focused projects such as affordable housing.
Ensures transparent government operations by formally updating state law to reflect that the property's previous deed restrictions have legally expired.
Results in the privatization and loss of public land that could have been utilized for a public park, community space, or other public good.
Fails to mandate that the proceeds from the land sale be directed toward helping disadvantaged residents or funding local social safety nets.
Sets a precedent of selling off municipal assets originally gifted to the city, which conflicts with the progressive ideal of maintaining robust, community-owned public spaces.

For Conservatives

Privatizes government-owned land, returning it to the free market where it can be utilized for private enterprise or individual homeownership.
Likely adds the property back to the local tax rolls, generating new property tax revenue for the city without raising taxes on existing residents.
Reduces the footprint and asset management burden of the local municipal government by divesting a property it no longer needs to hold.
Overrides the original intent of the private individual who gifted the land to the city, which could discourage future private philanthropy and charitable gifts.
Creates a special legislative carve-out for a single city rather than passing broad deregulation that allows all municipalities to manage their land freely.
Raises potential concerns about cronyism if the local government sells the parcel to politically connected individuals rather than through a transparent, free-market auction process.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 7 additions · 1 deletion

SECTION 1. Section 45-2-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows: 45-2-6. Lands given for specific use not subject to disposal.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, nothing ~~Nothing~~ in § 45-2-5 shall be construed to authorize the sale, lease, or conveyance of lands or improvements acquired by gift or devise for the public use, whether or not the gift or devise is subject to a condition subsequent or reverter; and no property held by any city or town as part of a charitable trust shall be considered to come within the provisions of § 45-2-5.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the city of Warwick may sell, convey, or grant, for consideration or otherwise, the parcel of real estate located at 34 Warwick Lake Avenue, identified on the Warwick tax assessor's maps as Plat 328, Lot 261, in fee simple absolute or otherwise, pursuant to the procedures set forth in § 45-2-5, all restrictions of record having already expired pursuant to § 34-4-24.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.