Latest news with #Housing2030
Boston Globe
16-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
R.I. among three states where new housing construction was the slowest in 2024, new Census data shows
Related : Elsewhere in New England, Massachusetts, which ranked 43rd, a 0.4 percent year-over-year increase in housing units; Connecticut ranked 41st, with 0.5 percent; New Hampshire ranked 30th, with 0.6 percent; Vermont ranked 27th, with 0.7 percent; and Maine ranked 22nd, with 0.8 percent. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up For Rhode Island, the bureau estimated there was an increase of only 922 housing units across in 2024, bringing the total number of units to 488,030. Advertisement In In an email to the Globe on Friday, Nick Freeman, the department's interim chief of staff, wrote the agency is currently reviewing the Census data. 'In general, the data underscores the findings of our Housing 2030 plan and demonstrates why the plan establishes production goals, strengthens incentives for municipalities, addresses zoning and regulatory barriers, and calls for strategic investments to produce and preserve housing in Rhode Island,' Freeman wrote. Advertisement Last month, Governor Dan McKee laid out Freeman wrote the Department of Housing is optimistic the state will 'make meaningful progress as new housing units come online in the coming years.' 'Rhode Island has seen a significant increase in permitting activity in recent years – reaching pre-Great Recession levels for [the] first time in 2023 and maintaining that progress in 2024,' Freeman wrote. 'This is a direct result of the State's recent financial investments and regulatory reforms.' In the past four years, the General Assembly has passed In a statement, Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said there are a dozen more measures moving through the legislative process now. But, prior to recently signed laws, the last 'substantive land use legislation' the state saw was decades ago in the 1990s, Shekarchi said. Since then, many communities have become more restrictive around housing they will permit, he said. Addressing the housing crisis will take years, Shekarchi said. 'The new Census data is sobering, but not surprising,' he said. ' The state is making progress though, he said, pointing to the 70 percent increase in building permits issued in 2023. Advertisement 'The data is stark, but shows why doing nothing is not an option,' Shekarchi said. Christopher Gavin can be reached at
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Community Focus: Gov. Dan McKee
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee joined 12 News at 4 on Tuesday to discuss the state's housing crisis, primary care shortage, and the new Real Housewives franchise, among other topics. : The governor referenced his Housing 2030 plan, which aims to issue 15,000 permits for new homes in Rhode Island by 2030. : McKee told 12 News anchor Kim Kalunian he expects the salary increases for his inner circle will still pass, despite opposition from the state House and state Senate. Tax increase for high earners: While new Senate President Val Lawson and Majority Leader Frank Ciccone both approve of raising taxes for wealthier Rhode Islanders, McKee said he doesn't think now is the right time to do so. : McKee reassured Rhode Islanders that the state is gathering information on reimbursement rates for primary care doctors in an effort to make Rhode Island more attractive to medical providers. : The governor reiterated the state's plan to eventually build hundreds of housing units attached to Pawtucket's new soccer stadium, explaining investments are necessary to create jobs and housing for Rhode Islanders. He also pointed out the excellent turnout the stadium has seen so far. : McKee isn't concerned that the new 'Real Housewives' series will show the state in a negative light. Instead, he compared it to Ella McKay, Hocus Pocus 2, and other locally filmed projects with wide appeal. 'We need to continue to invest our dollars in areas that put Rhode Island on the map,' he said. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Draft plan points the way to boost R.I housing production. But it will take a village to get there.
A construction worker retrieves plywood sheets lifted to the roof of the Ade Bethune House, a 54-unit affordable housing complex for seniors under construction on Bristol Ferry Road in Portsmouth on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Six one-bedroom units will be reserved for households at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI.) The remaining 34 one-bedroom units and 14 two-bedroom units will be for households at or below 60% of AMI. (Photo by Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current) Two months after setting a goal to permit 15,000 new homes within five years, Rhode Island housing officials have unveiled their road map to get there. The vision is detailed in the Housing 2030 plan, which includes a call for the state to permit a minimum of 1,000 new homes priced below $400,000 each and build 1,695 new middle-market units. Additionally, the plan seeks to triple the number of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) permitted, increase multifamily homes by 50%, and finance 2,250 affordable rental units. It's an ambitious plan, Gov. Dan McKee acknowledged during a State House press conference with Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard Wednesday afternoon. But he said change is needed after decades of stagnation. 'When housing production does not meet demand, and it has not met demand in some time, it puts a roadblock in what we call the road to prosperity,' McKee said. The 76-page plan by the Department of Housing is still in draft form. Public comment will be open online through May 23, after which state officials will consider making any changes before final approval. A final plan will likely be published in the fall, Goddard told reporters. Housing Department spokesperson Emily Marshall told Rhode Island Current the 2030 plan is designed to ensure 'that at least a certain number of units are created in each category.' More affordable homes may be added to the state's goal based on ongoing housing needs, she added. The Rhode Island Department of Housing's plan notes home prices have increased 65% and rental prices have increased 60% since 2018, while wages have increased only 29%. From 2022-2024, less than 21% of new construction homes for sale were priced below $400,000, according to the 2030 plan. All the while, few new homes have been permitted for construction. Between 2019 and 2023, fewer than 8,500 new homes received required state and local permits to begin construction in Rhode Island, according to a presentation from the Department of Housing. A lot of the blame still lies on local zoning ordinances that favor single-family homes and prevent higher density structures from being built. State leaders have sought to reduce the red tape through legislative action over recent years, but some towns just haven't been on board. Municipal leaders in Johnston, where about 7.9% of housing units are considered affordable, have pushed back against denser apartment buildings, citing concerns that an influx of families — and students — could strain local school systems and impact municipal budgets. Towns like Narragansett, where about 3.8% of housing units are considered affordable, have repeatedly blocked development of affordable multi-family homes because of potential impact on the 'character' of the town. So what can the state do to get more towns on board? Set housing targets that make sense for each municipality, according to the Housing 2030 plan. 'We have not taken a one-size fits all approach,' Goddard said. The 2030 plan calls for the Department of Housing and the Division of Statewide Planning to look over each community's comprehensive plans — the guiding documents for each municipality's zoning and land use. Cities and towns will be required to modify plans if they do not provide a realistic path forward for the achievement of housing production goals, according to the state's proposal. Community leaders will be required to provide annual progress reports to the Department of Housing, showing what policy changes they followed through on, how many homes were actually built, and explaining any setbacks or issues they ran into. Goddard told reporters her intention is for the state to reward communities that meet goals by giving them higher priority for state grants or infrastructure funds. 'It's a carrot, but it's a nicely disguised hammer in some way,' Goddard said. Municipalities would also be provided with technical assistance on how to reform their local zoning codes and expedite permitting. Randy Rossi, director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, said in a statement Wednesday that municipal leaders are firmly committed to supporting responsible housing development. 'More housing can be built when policies reflect the community needs and financial and technical support is available,' Rossi said. Philip Tedesco, CEO of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, said the plan will rely on a willingness to collaborate. nts. 'Local municipalities, legislators, and stakeholder groups will need to work together in determining revised zoning and development regulations, financial incentives, opportunities for revitalization, and more,' Tedesco said in a statement. Goddard said she believed smaller towns will fall in line and that the state will meet its goal of 15,000 new homes. 'We're going to have to keep pushing, but it's doable,' she said in an interview. HousingWorks RI Director Brenda Clement was a bit more skeptical. She said it may not be possible amid continued uncertainty over federal funding toward housing projects. 'A lot of what we're funding are with recovery funding and that's all going to disappear,' she said in an interview after the press conference. 'I am glad there is a plan, but plans are only as good as our implementation of them.' Rhode Island Builders Association CEO John V. Marcantonio said he believes the state's plan for 15,000 new homes is possible if state and local leaders are committed to addressing the housing crisis. 'If the plan is to move forward, then it would be our objective to put the bodies in place to do that,' Marcantonio said in a phone interview. 'There's a lot of people that want to solve this problem — I think Rhode Island could be a leader on how to solve this issue. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McKee to announce plan to add more housing in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Gov. Dan McKee is set to unveil his long-term plan to add more housing in Rhode Island on Wednesday. The state has dealt with a housing crisis for years, and 'Housing 2030' will be the first statewide housing plan since 2006. According to McKee's office, the draft plan lays out actionable strategies to increase production of affordable, accessible, and diverse housing options in the state. The plan puts out a long-term vision to address the state's housing challenges and meet the needs of communities. Earlier this year, the Rhode Island Department of Housing announced its goal to create 15,000 new housing units by 2030. Could RI create 15,000 new housing units by 2030? Data from the Rhode Island Association of Realtors showed a drop in home sales of 4% from March 2024 to 2025. The number of homes on the market rose 29.2% over the year, but the supply of homes remains low, therefore keeping prices high. The draft plan will be announced at 1:30 p.m. at the State House. Input from the community is encouraged and will play a role in shaping the final plan and the state's housing strategy moving forward. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Could RI create 15,000 new housing units by 2030?
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The R.I. Department of Housing announced an ambitious goal on Thursday to create 15,000 new housing units by 2030. The number was part of the department's draft Housing 2030 plan presented to lawmakers at the Special Legislative Commission to Study Housing Affordability on Thursday night. Policy analyst Patrick Duffy said the state also wants to create 1,000 low-cost homeownership units, triple the number of ADUs permitted, increase multifamily homes by 50%, and finance 2,250 affordable rental units. By comparison, Duffy said that in the last five years (2019-2023), Rhode Island had permitted 8,444 housing units for construction. 'We are really trying to walk the line of being ambitious in what we need to do but also putting forward goals that are going to be achievable,' Duffy said. During a taping of WPRI 12's Newsmakers on Friday, Acting Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard said it will take a combination of targets and incentives to get there. 'Targets for every community and incentives for communities that are making or progressing towards those targets, and withholding those incentives from those who aren't,' Goddard said. The 2030 plan is expected to be made open for public comment in March, according to Goddard. She said the 15,000 units aren't exclusively homes, but are 'across the spectrum.' 'Homeownership, rental. Within rental, some permanent supportive housing and some very low-income,' Goddard explained. The plan also assumes that all 39 of Rhode Island's cities and towns are on board. Last month, Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. blocked a 225-unit affordable housing project after he announced plans to seize land through eminent domain. The mayor said the town would build a comprehensive public safety municipal complex on the property. Polisena Jr. argued the project would overwhelm the town with nearly 600 new residents and create what he called a 'trifecta of chaos:' increased traffic, drainage issues, and an influx of students. 'I am all for building housing, but when we say housing, I mean in the sense of single family homes,' Polisena told 12 News last month. 'I think that's really where the pressure point is in the market right now.' Goddard said she was disappointed to learn Polisena Jr. blocked the project, but said it will be part of her job to convince Rhode Islanders why these projects will help municipalities. 'Folks across the state need housing, and we know one thing is that a lot of times the folks that need the housing, or the folks that support the housing, their voices do get drowned out by the negative,' Goddard said. 'So, part of what we need to do is help lift up those voices.' Goddard said the state will conduct a study in the upcoming months to examine the municipal fiscal impact that creating affordable housing units has on a city or town. 'We're going to do the research… bring it up to speed,' she said. Goddard admitted meeting the 2030 plan goals wont be easy, but said it can be done and can get more developers on board to build in Rhode Island. 'It's slogging work, it's plotting work. No doubt,' she said. 'But I do believe that if you're willing to do that slogging work, if you're willing to work municipalities, if you're willing to work with folks in every region, you can get more of the yeas to come out and support something.' Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
