S 2585Cities & Towns

Towns and Cities - Low and Moderate Income Housing

Mandates the Rhode Island Housing Authority to verify Tiverton's affordable housing count twice annually.

Held for study

Population
Affected

Introduced Feb 13, 2026Committee Senate Housing & Municipal Government

Plain-English Summary

This bill requires the Rhode Island Housing Authority to officially verify and record the total amount of affordable housing available specifically in the town of Tiverton. This verification process is mandated to occur twice every year. The legislation adds this specific reporting requirement to the state's existing laws governing low and moderate-income housing, ensuring a semi-annual count of the housing stock in that municipality.

For younger readers

This law tells a state group called the Rhode Island Housing Authority to count the number of affordable homes in the town of Tiverton. Affordable homes are places to live that cost less money so more people can afford them. The Housing Authority has to do this counting job two times every year to make sure they know exactly how many of these homes exist in that town.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Tiverton residentsLow-income rentersRhode Island Housing Authority employeesTown plannersReal estate developers

Impacted communities

Tiverton

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Ensures accurate, state-verified data regarding the availability of affordable housing, which is essential for enforcing housing mandates and identifying gaps in coverage for low-income residents.
Provides independent oversight by the Rhode Island Housing Authority, preventing potential local manipulation of housing stock numbers to avoid development obligations.
Creates a consistent semi-annual record that housing advocates can use to track progress or regression in the town's commitment to providing housing for the disadvantaged.
Focuses exclusively on the town of Tiverton rather than implementing a statewide audit, potentially ignoring similar or worse housing discrepancies in other wealthy municipalities.
Allocates administrative resources to counting existing units without providing any funding or mandates to actually construct new affordable housing for those in need.
Does not establish penalties or immediate corrective actions if the count reveals that the town has fallen below required affordable housing thresholds.

For Conservatives

Promotes government accountability and transparency by requiring an official verification of data rather than relying on estimates or unverified claims.
Ensures that existing laws regarding housing quotas are applied based on accurate facts, upholding the rule of law before any potential state intervention occurs.
Could potentially protect the town from unwarranted state mandates or lawsuits if the audit proves they are already meeting their affordable housing obligations.
Represents state-level interference in local municipal affairs, undermining the principle of home rule and local control over town planning.
Increases bureaucratic red tape and administrative costs for the Rhode Island Housing Authority, funded by taxpayers, to perform a repetitive task twice a year.
Establishes a mechanism for data collection that could be weaponized by the state to justify future mandates or forced zoning changes against the town's wishes.

Votes

Loading votes...

Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 3 additions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 45-53 of the General Laws entitled "Low and Moderate Income Housing" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 45-53-17. Affordable housing stock in Tiverton. The Rhode Island housing authority shall verify and document the count of affordable housing stock in the town of Tiverton two (2) times per year.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.