Bill > H6176

This bill modifies Rhode Island's existing inclusionary zoning law to specifically allow the town of Tiverton to determine its own density bonuses based on its underlying zoning regulations. Inclusionary zoning is a policy that requires developers to include a certain percentage of affordable housing units (in this case, at least 15%) in new residential developments. Currently, the state law provides a standard density bonus mechanism where developers can add one market-rate unit for each required affordable unit. The bill creates a special exception for Tiverton, giving the town more flexibility to establish its own density bonus rules that may differ from the standard state guidelines. This means Tiverton can customize how many additional market-rate units a developer can build when including affordable housing, based on the specific zoning characteristics of different areas within the town. The bill maintains all other provisions of the existing inclusionary zoning law, such as the requirement for affordable housing units to remain affordable for at least 30 years and the options for developers to provide affordable housing through various methods like on-site construction or payment of a fee. The legislation will take effect immediately upon passage.

Housing and Urban Affairs

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