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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

     

     Introduced By: Senator David P. Tikoian

     Date Introduced: May 19, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 45-24-46.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-24 entitled "Zoning

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Ordinances" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-24-46.1. Inclusionary zoning.

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     (a) A zoning ordinance requiring the inclusion of affordable housing as part of a

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development shall provide that the housing will be affordable housing, as defined in § 42-128-

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8.1(d)(1); that the affordable housing will constitute not less than ten percent (10%) twenty-five

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(25%) of the total units in the development; and that the units will remain affordable for a period

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of not less than thirty-years (30) from initial occupancy enforced through a land lease and/or deed

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restriction enforceable by the municipality and the state of Rhode Island. A zoning ordinance which

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requires the inclusion of affordable housing as part of a development shall specify the threshold in

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which the inclusion of affordable housing is required, but in no event shall a minimum threshold

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triggering the inclusion of affordable housing be higher than ten (10) dwelling units.

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     (b) A zoning ordinance that includes inclusionary zoning may provide that the affordable

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housing must be built on-site or utilize one or more alternative methods of production, including,

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but not limited to, off-site construction or rehabilitation, donation of land suitable for development

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of the required affordable units, and/or the payment of a fee in lieu of the construction or provision

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of affordable housing units.

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     (c) Density bonus, zoning incentives and municipal subsidies. For all projects subject to

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inclusionary zoning, density bonuses and other incentives shall be established by the community

 

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and shall apply to offset differential costs of below-market units. subject to applicable setback, lot

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width, or frontage requirements or the granting of relief from the same, a municipality shall allow

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the addition of two (2) market rate units for each affordable unit provided and the minimum lot

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area per dwelling unit normally required in the applicable zoning district shall be reduced by that

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amount necessary to accommodate the development. Larger density bonuses for the provision of

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an increased percentage of affordable housing in a development may be provided by a municipality

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in the zoning ordinance. Nothing herein shall prohibit a municipality from providing, or an

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applicant from requesting additional zoning incentives and/or municipal government subsidies as

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defined in § 45-53-3 to offset differential costs of affordable units. Available zoning incentives and

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municipal government subsidies shall be listed in the zoning ordinance.

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     (c) This (d) Fee-in-lieu. To the extent a municipality provides an option for the payment of

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a fee-in-lieu of the construction or provision of affordable housing, such fee in lieu of the

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construction or provision of affordable housing shall be the choice of the developer or builder

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applied on a per-unit basis and may be used for new developments, purchasing property and/or

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homes, rehabilitating properties, or any other manner that creates additional low-or-moderate

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income housing as defined in § 45-53-3(9).

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     (1) Eligibility for density bonus. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, an

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application which utilizes a fee-in-lieu of the construction or provision of affordable housing shall

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not be eligible for the density bonus outlined in this section.

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     (2) An application which seeks to utilize a fee-in-lieu of the construction or provision of

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affordable housing must be permitted by the planning board or commission and is not eligible for

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administrative review under the Rhode Island Land Development and Subdivision Review

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Enabling Act of 1992, codified at §§ 45-23-25 - 45-23-74.

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     (3) Amount of fee-in-lieu. For affordable single-family homes and condominium units, the

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per-unit fee shall be the difference between the maximum affordable sales price for a family of four

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(4) earning eighty percent (80%) of the area median income as determined annually by the U.S.

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Department of Housing and Urban Development and the average cost of developing a single unit

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of affordable housing. The average cost of developing a single unit of affordable housing shall be

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determined annually based on the average, per-unit development cost of affordable homes financed

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by Rhode Island housing and mortgage finance corporation (RIHMFC) over the previous three (3)

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years, excluding existing units that received preservation financing.

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     (2)(i) Notwithstanding subsection (c)(1) (d)(3) of this section, in no case shall the per-unit

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fee for affordable single family homes and condominium units be less than forty thousand dollars

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($40,000).

 

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     (d)(4) Use of fee-in-lieu. The municipality shall deposit all in-lieu payments into restricted

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accounts that shall be allocated and spent only for the creation and development of affordable

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housing within the municipality serving individuals or families at or below eighty percent (80%)

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of the area median income. The municipality shall maintain a local affordable housing board to

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oversee the funds in the restricted accounts and shall allocate the funds within two (2) years three

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(3) years of collection. The municipality shall include in the housing element of their local

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comprehensive plan, if applicable, and shall pass by ordinance, the process it will use to allocate

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the funds.

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     (e) As an alternative to the provisions of subsection (d), the municipality may elect to

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transfer in-lieu payments promptly upon receipt or within the two-year (2) three (3) year period

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after receipt. A municipality shall transfer all fee-in-lieu payments which are not allocated within

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three (3) years of collection, including funds held as of July 1, 2024, to the housing resources

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commission or Rhode Island housing RIHMFC for the purpose of developing affordable housing

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within that community.

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     (f) Rhode Island housing Both the municipalities and RIHMFC shall report annually with

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the first report due December 31, 2024 to the general assembly, the secretary of housing and the

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housing resources commission the amount of fees in lieu collected by community; the projects that

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were provided funding with the fees, the dollar amounts allocated to the projects and the number

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of units created.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES

***

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     This act would increase the amount of allowable units per acre for all projects subject to

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inclusionary zoning as well as other incentives and subsidies to offset differential costs of

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affordable units.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2024.

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