Changes the residential limit for any substantial multi-family housing project not to exceed forty thousand (40,000) residents according to the United States Census Bureau.

Plain-English Summary

This bill proposes a change to Rhode Island's rules around low and moderate income housing development. Specifically, it would set a new population threshold, limiting which communities are subject to certain multi-family housing project rules to only those with fewer than 40,000 residents according to U.S. Census data. In other words, it redraws the line for which towns and cities fall under this particular housing regulation.

Under Rhode Island's existing affordable housing laws, there are rules that govern how and where "substantial" multi-family housing projects can be built, often with the goal of increasing the availability of affordable housing. By tying eligibility or applicability to a 40,000-resident population cap, this bill would mean that larger cities — those with populations at or above 40,000 — would either be excluded from or treated differently under these specific rules, while smaller communities below that threshold would remain subject to them.

The bill would primarily affect towns and cities near or around the 40,000-population mark, as well as developers and residents involved in affordable housing projects in those communities. Larger Rhode Island cities like Providence, Cranston, and Warwick, which exceed 40,000 residents, could see changes in how multi-family housing projects are regulated or approved within their borders. Smaller towns and suburbs would continue operating under the existing framework.

The bill has been referred to the House Municipal Government & Housing Committee and is scheduled for a hearing in April 2026. No final action has been taken yet.