Permits North Providence to require 2 parking spaces for each studio, 1 bedroom, or 2 bedroom low- or moderate-income housing unit upon the determination that limited or no local public transportation or off-street parking is available near these units.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would give the town of North Providence special authority to require developers to include two parking spaces for each affordable housing unit in certain residential buildings. Specifically, this requirement would apply to studio apartments, one-bedroom units, and two-bedroom units that are designated as low- or moderate-income housing. The town could only enforce this requirement after determining that the area near these units has limited or no public transportation options and little or no nearby off-street parking already available.

Currently, Rhode Island state law generally limits how many parking spaces local governments can require for affordable housing developments, in part to keep construction costs down and encourage more affordable units to be built. This bill would create an exception to those statewide rules specifically for North Providence, allowing the town to set stricter parking requirements when local conditions — like poor transit access — justify it.

This bill would most directly affect housing developers building affordable units in North Providence, as they could face additional construction costs to accommodate the extra parking spaces. It could also affect low- and moderate-income residents who would benefit from having guaranteed parking available, particularly in areas where public transportation is scarce. Opponents of similar policies often argue that parking mandates raise housing costs and reduce the number of affordable units built, while supporters argue that parking is a practical necessity in areas without reliable transit. The bill has been referred to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee for further review.