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S 2035Land Use

Towns and Cities - Zoning Ordinances

This bill standardizes rules to allow homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) while banning their use for short-term rentals.

Held for study
Population
Affected
45
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Introduced Jan 9, 2026Committee Senate Housing & Municipal Government

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends zoning laws to standardize and encourage the development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), often called in-law apartments. It requires municipalities to allow one ADU per lot under specific conditions, such as for disabled family members, on lots over 20,000 square feet, or within existing structures. The bill prohibits towns from imposing restrictive requirements regarding lot size, parking, or familial relationships of tenants. However, it bans using these units for short-term tourist rentals and requires the owner to have lived on the property for five years before an ADU is allowed by right.

For younger readers

This new rule helps homeowners build small extra houses on their land, sometimes called "granny flats." These small homes can be used for family members or other people to live in. The rule tells towns they must allow these homes if the yard is big enough or if the new home fits inside the main house or garage. It stops towns from making unfair rules to block them. However, people cannot use these small homes for vacation rentals, and the owner must have lived there for five years first.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
HomeownersMunicipal GovernmentsRentersDevelopersHomeowner Associations
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

Moderate risk

Low to Moderate. The provision voiding private Homeowner Association (HOA) restrictions (Section 1(b)(6)) could be challenged under the Contract Clause of the Constitution, though courts often uphold such interference for significant public policy goals like housing. The five-year residency requirement might be scrutinized under Equal Protection or the right to travel, but would likely survive as a valid exercise of state police power regarding zoning.

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Increases the housing supply by allowing density in single-family zones, which can help alleviate the housing crisis and potentially lower rental costs for working-class residents.
  • Explicitly prohibits discrimination against protected populations and prevents municipalities from restricting tenants based on familial relationships, promoting fair housing access.
  • Bans the use of these units for short-term tourist rentals, preventing housing stock from being converted into vacation rentals and preserving it for long-term residents.
  • The requirement that an owner must reside on the property for five years before building an ADU restricts access for new homeowners and young families trying to enter the housing market.
  • Allowing ADUs by right primarily on lots over 20,000 square feet may favor wealthier suburban areas while excluding smaller lots in denser, urban neighborhoods where housing is needed most.
  • Does not mandate that the new units be affordable for low-income earners, potentially leading to market-rate units that do not directly help the poorest residents.
For Conservatives
  • Strengthens property rights by allowing landowners to utilize their property to build additional units for family or income without excessive government interference.
  • Reduces bureaucratic red tape by capping permit fees and preventing municipalities from demanding unnecessary infrastructure upgrades or excessive parking requirements.
  • Voids restrictive covenants by Homeowner Associations (HOAs) that ban ADUs, prioritizing individual property ownership rights over collective private restrictions.
  • Represents a significant state overreach into local control, stripping municipalities of their authority to determine zoning and density standards for their own communities.
  • Interferes with private contracts by declaring HOA restrictions on ADUs void, which undermines the legal standing of private associations and agreements.
  • Restricts the free market and property rights by banning owners from using their private property for short-term rentals or hosting platforms like Airbnb.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 4 additions

SECTION 1. Section 45-24-73 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-24 entitled "Zoning Ordinances" is hereby amended to read as follows: 45-24-73. Design standards required for accessory dwelling units — Consistent statewide treatment of accessory dwelling units required.

(a) Pursuant to § 45-24-37, one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) per lot shall be allowed by right under the following circumstances:

(1) On an owner-occupied property as a reasonable accommodation for family members with disabilities; or

(2) On a lot with a total lot area of twenty thousand square feet (20,000 sq. ft.) or more for which the primary use is residential; or

(3) Where the proposed ADU is located within the existing footprint of the primary structure or existing accessory attached or detached structure and does not expand the footprint of the structure.

(b) Uniform standards.

(1) A municipality may establish a maximum unit size for an ADU but such limitation must allow, subject to applicable dimensional requirements:

(i) A studio or one bedroom ADU of at least nine hundred square feet (900 sq. ft), or sixty percent (60%) of the floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less; and

(ii) A two-bedroom (2) ADU of at least twelve hundred square feet (1,200 sq. ft.), or sixty percent (60%) of the floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less.

(2) For all ADU applications, a municipality shall not:

(i) Restrict tenants based on familial relationships or age unless such restriction is necessary to comply with the terms of the federal subsidy related to affordability;

(ii) Charge application or permitting fees for the creation of an ADU that exceed those that would be charged for a new single-family dwelling;

(iii) Require infrastructure improvements in connection with the ADU, including, but not limited to, separate water or sewer service lines or expanded septic system capacity unless such improvements and/or modifications are required by an applicable state agency for compliance under state law or regulation, or to comply with building code requirements, or to address capacity or upgrades necessary to accommodate the ADU;

(iv) Discriminate against populations protected under state and federal fair housing laws;

(v) Impose dimensional requirements or other development standards on ADUs that in any instance exceed the requirements for an accessory structure in the same zoning district;

(vi) Require additional lot area, lot frontage, or lot width for conforming lots or legal nonconforming lots of record solely to accommodate an ADU;

(vii) Require zoning relief for ADU applications proposed within an existing footprint of the primary or accessory structure which is a legal nonconforming structure in order to address the existing dimensional nonconformity;

(viii) Require more than one off-street parking space per bedroom of the ADU;

(ix) Limit ADUs to lots with preexisting dwellings, or otherwise prohibit ADUs as part of applications for new primary dwelling units or subdivisions;

(x) Prohibit an ADU that otherwise complies with this chapter and applicable dimensional regulations from having up to two (2) bedrooms;

(xi) Require an ADU to be exclusively occupied by a household that is low- or moderate- income or less as defined by § 42-128-8.1, unless such ADU is part of an inclusionary zoning or comprehensive permit application; or

(xii) Revoke the permitted status or otherwise require the disassembly of a legally established ADU upon transfer of title or occupancy.

(3) An application for an ADU that is not allowed by right under this section, shall not, by itself, be reviewed as a minor land development or major land development project.

(4) A municipality shall allow ADUs as part of applications for new primary dwelling units or subdivisions. For proposed ADUs that are part of a larger development proposal, a municipality shall not count such ADUs toward density of the proposal for purposes of limiting the number of dwelling units allowed in such development proposal.

(i) Municipalities may utilize a unified development review process for any application that includes ADUs, regardless of whether a city or town has opted into the current unified development review statute.

(5) As part of the approval process, municipalities may exempt ADUs from all or part of utility assessment and/or tie in fees.

(6) Private restrictions on ADUs imposed by condominium associations, homeowner associations, or similar residential property governing bodies, which conflict with the provisions of this section or the definition of an ADU as set forth in § 45-24-31, shall be void as against public policy. Provided, however, if ADUs are allowed by condominium association covenants, homeowner association covenants, or similar residential property governing bodies, they shall be deemed in compliance with this subsection.

(7) The development of ADUs shall not be restricted by any locally adopted ordinance or policy that places a limit or moratorium on the development of residential units in land zoned for residential use.

(8) ADUs shall not be offered or rented for tourist or transient use or through a hosting platform, as such terms are defined in § 42-63.1-2.

(9) ADUs shall not be allowed by right under this section until the owner has resided on said property for a minimum of five (5) years.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.