The Middletown Town Council is considering revisions to the town’s zoning code to make it easier to build more affordable homes amid a housing crisis.
The town is seeking to streamline the permitting process for affordable low- and moderate-income housing projects, according to a news release.
The first public hearing on the proposed changes was held Monday night. The revisions were sparked by changes made to state law approved by the General Assembly last year, officials said.
“The purpose of the state legislation was to streamline review procedures to promote housing development under the comprehensive permit process,” said Town Planner Ronald Wolanski. “The process is available to developers in communities that do not meet the state’s 10 percent affordable housing goal.”
If approved, the changes would apply to projects already in the pipeline, including two being considered by the town for affordable housing.
Town officials said the town has an ambitious goal of building 57 affordable housing units on 26 Oliphant Lane and 650 Green End Ave. The town says the units will not cost property owners a dime in local taxes.
“These are all mandatory to bring our ordinances in conformance with state law,” said Town Solicitor Peter Regan. “We’re not adding anything discretionary on top of that.”
According to data from Housing Works RI, 56 percent of the 7,217 housing units in Middletown are owner-occupied. Of those who rent, 41 percent pay more than 30 percent of their gross pay towards housing.
Read the full press release from the Town of Middletown below;
STREAMLINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MIDDLETOWN
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (MARCH 19, 2024) – Work is underway to simplify the process to help bring more affordable housing to Middletown.
At a meeting Monday night in Town Hall, the Town Council held the first public hearing on proposed amendments to the town’s Zoning Code, specifically Chapter 152 that deals with comprehensive permits for low and moderate income housing.
Town Planner Ronald Wolanski said the revisions were brought on by changes to state law approved by the General Assembly in 2023.
While many of the modifications were bookkeeping in nature like changing definitions, required density bonuses and application procedures, Wolanski said they could “streamline” the affordable housing process.
Before the amendments go into place, they will have a second reading before the council at an April 1 meeting beginning at 6:30 pm in Town Hall.
“The purpose of the state legislation was to streamline review procedures to promote housing development under the comprehensive permit process,” Wolanski said. “The process is available to developers in communities that do not meet the state’s 10 percent affordable housing goal.”
The proposal came from the town’s Planning Board, which has been working extremely hard under Chairman Paul Croce’s leadership to update and improve local ordinances over the past several years in addition to its regular duties.
Among the topics the volunteer board has taken up include the use of pesticides and fertilizers, subdivision regulations and historic preservation, among others intended to help make Middletown an even better place to live, work and play.
To view a complete copy of the proposed comprehensive permit changes, go to https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/11886/240318_15 online.
Town Solicitor Peter Regan reminded the council the amendments would apply to affordable housing projects already in the pipeline, including the two being pursued by Middletown itself.
In response to a question from council President Paul M. Rodrigues, Regan said even if the Middletown council opted not to approve the regulation changes, such a step would be moot. That’s because he said the existing state affordable housing laws would trump Middletown’s ordinances anyway.
“These are all mandatory to bring our ordinances in conformance with state law,” Regan said. “We’re not adding anything discretionary on top of that.”
Like most other communities around the country, affordable housing has become one of the main talking points in Middletown — and the rest of The Ocean State.
Based on the findings of a recent Housing Works RI report, Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said there are 7,217 housing units in Middletown. Of those, 56 percent are owner occupied, with the remainder rented out.
The Housing Works RI data indicated of the owner occupied units, 33 percent were considered “burdened,” meaning they pay more than 30 percent of their gross pay towards housing, Brown said. That number jumped to 41 percent for those who rented, the town administrator added.
Hearing from people across Middletown, the Town Council has pledged to focus on ways to make the community more affordable.
Recently, the Planning Board gave its blessing to a master plan proposal to bring a total of 57 affordable housing units to 26 Oliphant Lane and 650 Green End Ave.
Town officials have said the way those developments are structured, they won’t cost Middletown property owners a dime in local tax dollars.
All told, there are about 500 new units of housing approved or on the boards in Middletown, projects intended to increase the number of places for people to live.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
Affordable housing is truly mis named.
This is in fact taxpayer subsidized housing.
Let the market develop. Do not interfere. Govt always has way of creating chances for fraud and abuse and waste.