Permits, but not directs, a municipality to allow certain requirements regarding consistent statewide treatment of accessory dwelling units.

Plain-English Summary

This bill deals with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — smaller, secondary living spaces added to a property that already has a main home. Examples include an in-law suite, a garage apartment, a basement unit, or a backyard cottage. Currently, Rhode Island has statewide rules about how cities and towns must handle ADUs. This bill would give individual municipalities the option to apply certain requirements related to those statewide ADU rules, though it would not force them to do so.

The key word in this bill is "permits, but not directs" — meaning cities and towns would have the *choice* to adopt certain ADU-related requirements, rather than being required to follow a one-size-fits-all mandate from the state. This gives local governments a bit more flexibility in how they manage ADU rules within their communities, while still operating within the broader statewide framework.

This bill would primarily affect homeowners who want to build or rent out an ADU, local zoning boards and planning officials who set the rules for what can be built in their communities, and renters who might live in these types of units. Depending on how individual towns choose to use this flexibility, it could make it easier or more complicated to add an ADU to a property, which may vary from town to town across the state.

As of now, the bill has been referred to the House Municipal Government & Housing Committee and has been held for further study, meaning lawmakers are still evaluating it and no final decision has been made.