Housing (Zoning)

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 7779: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

Permits but not directs a municipality to establish, by ordinance, certain requirements regarding accessory dwelling units regarding ownership for 5 years, non-family ADUs to be rented at affordable rates and limit size to 1,000 sq. ft.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly permits municipalities to require non-family ADUs to be rented at affordable rates, directly advancing affordable housing initiatives.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 8015: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HOUSING RESOURCES ACT OF 1998 -- COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND REHABILITATION ACT OF 2004

Affordable housing includes an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) where it’s a long-term rental unit in a municipality with no ordinance requiring a minimum lot size for ADUs.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly includes ADUs as affordable housing, promoting development by removing lot size barriers in municipalities without such ordinances.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 2578: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

Permits but not directs a municipality to establish, by ordinance, certain requirements regarding accessory dwelling units regarding ownership for 5 years, non-family ADUs to be rented at affordable rates and limit size to 1,000 sq. ft.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates affordable rental rates for non-family ADUs, directly increasing affordable housing supply through zoning requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 8142: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RESIDENTIAL REUSE INCENTIVE ACT

Creates a state program and fund to finance adaptive reuse and mixed-use housing projects, requires affordable units and labor standards, and provides oversight to expand housing until 2035.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state fund for housing projects, aligns with funding essential programs under Budget & Taxes topic85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates state fund for adaptive reuse housing projects requiring affordable units and labor standards to expand housing until 2035.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Historic Preservation Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 2705: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

SB 2705 requires towns and cities to mandate that affordable housing units be included in certain new residential developments. It directly affects local governments, which must update zoning ordinances, and developers building qualifying projects. The key provision is that developers must provide a specified percentage of affordable units in eligible new construction, without requiring additional subsidies. The bill is still in early stages, having been introduced to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government committee on February 27, 2026.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates affordable housing units in new developments, directly advancing access without subsidies per bill's core provision.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Property Development Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 8036: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RESTORING OPTIONS IN OCCUPANCY MODELS

ROOM) ACT (Expands access to inherently affordable housing by re-legalizing co-living/single-room occupancy (SRO) and shared dwelling models of many types.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRe-legalizes co-living/SRO models, expanding inherently affordable housing access per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Tenant Rights Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 8016: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HOUSING RESOURCES ACT OF 1998

Allows the town of Johnston to receive a one-half (1/2) credit for affordable housing units for manufactured homes in age restricted communities in conformance with all zoning laws and/or ordinances of the town.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly enables a credit for affordable manufactured home units in age-restricted communities, directly advancing affordable housing access through financial incentive.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

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in committee · Rhode Island · House Jan 16, 2026

HB 7153: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

HB 7153 changes the fee-in-lieu payment required for developers who opt not to build affordable housing units on-site. Instead of standard fees, developers must pay 150% of the average development cost for a single-family home or condo unit (with a minimum $40,000 per unit). This fee must be used exclusively by municipalities to fund new affordable housing for households earning 80% or less of the area median income. The bill affects developers in qualifying projects (10+ units) and local governments responsible for managing these funds through dedicated housing boards.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates developer fees (150% of avg cost) to fund affordable housing, directing municipal spending toward housing programs90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates 150% fee for developers to fund affordable housing for 80% AMI households, directly advancing affordable housing funding through dedicated municipal use.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Zoning

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in committee · Rhode Island · Senate Jan 9, 2026

SB 2043: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

SB 2043 requires owners of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) not occupied by family members or caretakers to rent them only at rates considered "affordable" under existing state law (§ 42-128-8.1). This directly affects ADU owners who rent to non-family tenants, mandating compliance with statewide affordable housing definitions. The bill also prohibits ADUs from being used for tourist rentals and voids private restrictions (like HOA rules) that conflict with these requirements. It does not change ADU construction rules but ensures rental rates for non-family-occupied units align with state affordability standards.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates affordable rent rates for ADUs and bans tourist rentals, directly increasing affordable housing availability and protecting tenant rights under state law.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Renters Zoning

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 2265: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

Limits municipal minimum lot sizes for residential use to 2,500 sq ft near transit, 5,000 sq. ft with water/sewer, and 1 acre otherwise, while protecting farmlands, forests, and wetlands, and requiring zoning updates to comply.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProtects farmlands, forests, and wetlands - direct conservation measures aligning with environmental protection goals.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingReduces minimum lot sizes to increase housing density near transit, enabling more affordable housing units and advancing development goals.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill mandates smaller lot sizes near transit, promoting transit-oriented development to increase public transit accessibility and reduce car dependency.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Zoning

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