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Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Census: RI near bottom for new housing construction in 2024
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island remains near the bottom of national rankings for housing production despite several years of State House activity aimed at increasing supply. New data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows Rhode Island had the slowest growth rate for new housing in the continental United States in 2024, with a year-over-year increase of just 0.2%. Only Alaska (0.2%) and Hawaii (0.1%) ranked lower. Massachusetts ranked a bit higher at 43rd, with an increase of 0.4%. The states at the top of the list added housing far faster, with top-ranked Idaho increasing its supply by 2.2% in 2024, followed by Utah (2%) and North Carolina (1.9%). Census estimates indicate Rhode Island added fewer than 1,000 housing units in total last year, increasing the statewide supply of houses, condos and apartments to 488,030. The number of units has increased by about 4,500 since 2020. The Census estimate of statewide housing supply is slightly higher than the R.I. Housing Department's estimate, published in an annual report last month, which pegged the total number of housing units in Rhode Island at 485,533 as of 2024. Whatever the exact number, both reports offer fresh evidence of the way limited supply is helping to fuel Rhode Island's ongoing housing crisis. The median price of a single-family home in Rhode Island was $465,000 in March, up from $206,000 a decade earlier, and apartment rents in Greater Providence are going up faster than in most other major metro areas. TARGET 12: Out-of-state residents now buying nearly 1 in 4 homes sold in RI House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has been a leading advocate on Smith Hill for efforts to increase housing supply, helping to shepherd nearly 50 bills on the subject into law over the last four years. He is pushing a dozen additional housing bills this year. 'The new Census data is sobering, but not surprising,' Shekarchi, D-Warwick, told 12 News in a statement Thursday. 'Rhode Island was dead last in the country for new housing starts for multiple years consecutively, and this data is reflective of that.' At the same time, Shekarchi pointed to signs that activity is increasing. The Housing Department's annual report found 2,655 new housing units were permitted in 2024, an increase of 86% since 2022. 'While a building permit is not the same as a new unit – construction takes time – this is an improvement,' he said. The Housing Department has not yet responded to a request for comment. The Census Bureau estimates Rhode Island's population topped 1.1 million for the first time in 2023, and has increased by about 15,000 people since the start of this decade. Ted Nesi (tnesi@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi's Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. 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.
Boston Globe
15-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Rhode Island grapples with triple crises: Health care, housing, and higher ed
The announced closure of Anchor Medical leaves 25,000 Rhode Island patients Advertisement Then comes housing. 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 House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has helped the state make progress on this front by And now for higher education. It's easy to bang on Brown University for not having to pay taxes on many of its properties, but our only Ivy League university could face a funding crunch that threatens jobs and development. My colleague Alexa Gagosz reports that Brown has joined several universities around the country Advertisement The bigger picture: There are no easy answers, and things just get more complicated heading into an election year. Governor Dan McKee already questions the loyalty of anyone who isn't fully on board with his reelection, Shekarchi and Attorney General Peter Neronha are still privately flirting with running for governor, and the only news Helena Foulkes ever seems to make is about the money she is raising for her campaign. Down the ticket, it's even worse. There are lots of folks who view Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos as vulnerable, but no one has stepped up to actually announce a run. While the LG has limited powers, this would be an ideal moment for a candidate for that office to pledge to be the point person for at least one of the 3 Hs – and then stick to it. This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Advertisement Dan McGowan can be reached at
Boston Globe
01-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
401Gives is a lifeline for Rhode Island's 650 nonprofits
The bigger picture: It's a precarious moment for Rhode Island's nonprofit community. While not every organization is government-funded, many do rely on federal or local dollars to support at least part of their budget. Related : It's not just the Trump administration's effort to slash federal spending, either. State and local governments relied heavily on COVID-19 relief funding to shore up their own budgets and assist organizations. Yes, folks like House Speaker Joe Shekarchi warned that the money faucet was being turned off, but many nonprofits have struggled to replace their funding. 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 401Gives won't solve every nonprofit's budget woes, but it could be the difference between keeping an employee or laying them off, or paying for a popular after-school program or cutting it. Advertisement Pro tip: If you want to maximize the value of your donation, check out the For example, at 4:01 p.m., the Advertisement This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Dan McGowan can be reached at
Boston Globe
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Housing costs are the top concern for Rhode Island voters, a new poll finds
The margin of error on the poll was plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. The poll was conducted online by YouGov. The organization is holding a press conference at the State House at 3:15 p.m. to publicly release the poll results, but you can have a sneak peek 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 I also discussed the poll results on '12 News this Morning.' You can watch the segment Advertisement The bigger picture: It's not a new concept for an advocacy organization to release poll results that are favorable to its cause – in this case, the construction of lots of new housing across the state – but the numbers are overwhelming. ⚓ 95 percent of voters said they believe the cost of renting or buying a home is a major problem or somewhat of a problem. ⚓ 78 percent of voters said there are not enough homes to rent or buy in their community that average people can afford. ⚓ 88 percent of voters think state lawmakers should take action to address the housing shortage and the cost of housing. Voters also strongly supported some of the solutions offered by Neighbors Welcome! RI, including making it easier for homeowners with oversized lots to divide up their property (75 percent); allowing town homes to be built on all residentially zoned lots (70 percent); allowing more homes to be built near businesses and shopping districts (87 percent); allowing single-family homes on smaller lots (81 percent); and creating a central online system for state and local permits (76 percent). Advertisement House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has not heeded calls from more progressives to crack down on cities and towns that are resistant to building more affordable housing, but the poll shows 53 percent of voters said lawmakers should building more homes and bringing down housing costs even if it means reducing the power the cities and towns have over decision-making, compared to 24 percent who support preserver the power of cities and towns. The political angle: Yes, the poll did include a few political questions. Only 36 percent of voters said they approve of the job Governor Dan McKee is doing as governor, and 51 percent said they disapprove of the job he's doing. On the bright side for McKee, 48 percent said they approve of the governor partnering with stakeholders to address the housing wasn't a direct approval rating question for Shekarchi, but 65 percent said they support the speaker partnering with stakeholders to address the housing crisis. Related : This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Dan McGowan can be reached at
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shekarchi unveils fifth package of housing bills
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — House Speaker Joe Shekarchi on Thursday revealed a dozen bills aimed at taking on Rhode Island's housing crisis, a top issue lawmakers have focused on in recent legislative sessions. FULL COVERAGE: Housing Crisis This is the fifth consecutive year the Warwick Democrat has introduced a package of housing legislation during his speakership. Last session, Shekarchi put forward 15 bills aimed at spurring housing production in the state. For this year, topics such as updating building codes and expanding electronic permitting will be addressed, while also amending laws passed from prior sessions. 'When I announced my commitment to tackling Rhode Island's housing crisis, I commented that our housing shortage had been decades in the making and would take a sustained effort, over the course of years, to address,' Shekarchi said. 'Four years and almost 50 new housing laws later, we are still chipping away at the barriers that have made development in Rhode Island more costly and more cumbersome than necessary.' READ MORE: Shekarchi's new housing package aims for 'production, production, production' The speaker's announcement comes after the R.I. Department of Housing unveiled an ambitious goal of creating 15,000 new housing units by 2030. Here is a summary of the new bills: H 5804, sponsored by Shekarchi, would amend the building code standards committee and create a state building code office within the office of the state fire marshal. H 5803, sponsored by Shekarchi, expands the use of electronic permitting. It also requires the state's Department of Environmental Management, Coastal Resources Management Council and Department of Transportation to use electronic permitting by next October. H 5794, sponsored by state Rep. Robert Craven, D-North Kingstown, would 'clarify the processes set forth in the Zoning Enabling Act and Subdivision Act' and fix problems 'that are creating unnecessary delays and/or red tape.' H 5801, sponsored by state Rep. June Speakman, D-Warren, includes amendments aimed at adding onto 'substantial amendments made to Rhode Island's Low and Moderate Housing Act' and clarifying 'standards and findings required for development to remove subjectivity in the process.' H 5802, sponsored by state Rep. Thomas Noret, D-Coventry, focuses on state-owned properties that are currently vacant or abandoned where housing could be built. It streamlines an 'approval process to be used for such properties.' H 5793, sponsored by state Rep. Arthur Corvese, D-North Providence, is a priority of the R.I. League of Cities and Towns that would 'amend the provisions under which a city or town may exceed the maximum levy for the assessment of local taxes.' H 5795, sponsored by state Rep. Tina Spears, D-Charlestown, would 'remove the non-binding nature of zoning certificates to allow property owners to rely on the municipal determination of the legality of the present use.' H 5800, sponsored by Craven, mandates cities and towns to have 'village or mixed-use zoning' in commercial areas some units could be built. H 5796, sponsored by state Rep. Jason Knight, D-Barrington, promotes higher density units to be built in places 'within the urban services boundary,' as opposed to single-family housing. H 5798, sponsored by Speakman, would make it possible to build townhouses in certain places. H 5799, sponsored by state Rep. Cherie Cruz, D-Pawtucket, streamlines the process for 'oversized lots to be subdivided.' H 5797, sponsored by state Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, D-South Kingstown, gives cities and towns the ability to create 'co-housing arrangements' which are described as 'options similar to dorms in which there are common spaces, amenities, and facilities, but residents have separate private bedrooms.' NEXT: Bill would require athletic trainers at RI high schools 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.
