Requires the town of Tiverton to require a minimum number of affordable housing units if there is less than ten percent (10%) of affordable housing in the town.
Summary
S1105 amends Rhode Island’s low- and moderate-income housing law to create a Tiverton-specific affordable housing requirement. If Tiverton has less than 10% affordable housing under the state’s existing definition, then any developer proceeding under an approved plan, permit, or project in the town would have to make at least 50% of the units affordable housing units until Tiverton reaches full compliance with the state’s affordable housing requirements.
The bill is narrowly targeted to one municipality and operates as a local override or supplement to the general affordable housing framework in chapter 53 of title 45. It would take effect immediately upon passage and would affect developers, land use approvals, and the town’s administration of housing permits and projects in Tiverton.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to Rhode Island General Laws chapter 45-53 and create a special rule for Tiverton when its affordable housing stock falls below the 10% threshold. In practical terms, it would require a much higher affordable-housing share in qualifying new development than is generally required under statewide law, potentially changing project feasibility, approval conditions, and the mix of housing units built in the town. It would primarily affect developers, municipal permitting authorities, and prospective housing applicants in Tiverton.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill’s text and caption, the measure appears to reflect a policy preference for increasing affordable housing production in Tiverton and addressing local compliance with state housing goals.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is the bill’s unusually strict local mandate: requiring 50% of units to be affordable whenever Tiverton is below the 10% benchmark. Supporters would likely view this as a strong tool to accelerate affordable housing production and bring the town into compliance, while opponents may argue it is overly burdensome on developers, could discourage new construction, and imposes a town-specific requirement that is more aggressive than the general statewide standard. No named stakeholders or recorded objections are included in the provided materials.