PROVIDENCE – The House on Tuesday approved two housing-related pieces of legislation, part of a 14-bill package supported by House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi.
The first was an amendment Shekarchi introduced to the Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Act that overhauls the application process for prospective housing developers seeking approval at the municipal level by reducing the steps required and placing the approval power in local planning rather than zoning boards.
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The LMIHA, passed in 1991, requires cities and towns to maintain 10% of their year-round housing stock as affordable housing, defines as those receiving a subsidy from a federal, state, or local source and be deed restricted for at least 30 years.
The second House vote approved a bill introduced by Rep. June S. Speakman, D- Warren, Bristol, which gives homeowners the right to develop so-called accessory dwelling units in any residential zoning district, including those zoned for single-family homes, “within the existing footprint of their structures or on any lot larger than 20,000 square feet, provided that the design satisfies building code, size limits and infrastructure requirements.”
Both bills now move to the Senate.
Shekarchi has made addressing the state’s housing crisis a top priority of his speakership. He argued his amendment will add “clarity” to the permitting review process and spur the creation of much-needed housing units in Rhode Island, a state which ranks among the lowest in the nation for the issuance of new building permits.
“Rhode Island is in dire need of more housing. The package of legislation my colleagues and I have put forth will make it easier to develop housing by eliminating unnecessary barriers, and this bill is one more tool in our toolbox,” he said in a Tuesday statement. “When it comes to the development process, time is money. Streamlining the permitting process will cut some of the costs associated with building more homes, while expediting the timeframe for those new homes to be built.”
R.I. GOP Chairman Joe Powers issued a statement Tuesday blasting the legislation, arguing it strips municipal officials of local control of zoning and land use and “undermines single-family zoning.”
“Zoning decisions should be made by local officials who ultimately answer to the residents of their community,” he said.
Traditionally used as in-law apartments or additional living space for family members, Speakman said her bill will encourage the development of ADUs as affordable rental units, as well as create an income stream for homeowners. The bill prohibits ADUs constructed under the new provision from being used as short-term rentals.
“We need more rental units of all types in our state and making it easier for homeowners to use their extra space in this manner is an avenue that will help develop some in relatively short order without altering anyone’s neighborhood or requiring new, expensive construction,” said Speakman. “Our housing crisis is very complex, and we must be creative and identify all the tools we can to create housing that makes the most of our resources.”
Speakman’s bill is supported by organizations and agencies including the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, Rhode Island Housing, the American Planning Association Rhode Island Division, Grow Smart RI, Housing Network RI and AARP.
But some elected officials on the House floor disagreed that these measures would not run the risk of overburdening local neighborhoods, particularly in rural areas. House Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale, R-Foster, said that while he supports certain actions to address the housing shortage, he sees aspects of the current proposals an examples of government overreach, concerns he said were shared by many of his constituents.
“These concerns are shared fairly statewide. The overarching theme is the loss of local control,” he said. “That is absolutely something that is steeped in this bill…we are giving a lot of power to developers.”
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
