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3/20/2017
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State-Wide Commission to Study Improved Recycling For Multifamily Complexes in Rhode Island Proposed Before Municipal Government Committee
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State-Wide Commission to Study Improved Recycling For Multifamily Complexes in Rhode Island Proposed Before Municipal Government Committee
STATE HOUSE -- During a Municipal Government Committee hearing on Thursday, March 16, 2017, members heard testimony on bill (H-5849) “An Act Relating to Motor and Other Vehicles – Mobile and Manufactured Homes – Affordable Housing”, which would include affordable mobile homes in the official definition of affordable housing for cities and towns to meet the state plan guide requirements based off the Rhode Island Rising also known as Rhode Map Rhode Island.
Representative Sherry Roberts (R-District 29 Coventry, West Greenwich), sponsor of H-5849 and Chair of the Republican Policy Group (RPG), testified before the Committee, stating, “There are many mobile home parks within our state, which are not currently included in the state's definition of “affordable housing”, nor have these types of homes been considered in respect to meeting the state's affordable housing mandates. Rhode Island’s existing law requires our municipalities comprehensive plans to meet a 10% minimum quota in affordable housing dwelling units, while Rhode Map/RI Rising seeks to exceed above and beyond the 10% minimum already required.”
Brenda Clement, Director of Housing Works RI, also testified and stated that affordable housing has a three-part test to pass, “Meets affordable income targets, meets long term-affordability of at least 30 years and is a public subsidy.”
Representative Bob Quattrocchi (R-District 41 Scituate, Cranston) said, “The state of RI implements mandates based on statistics and very narrow definitions. This puts a tremendous burden on cities and towns to follow required statutes, especially when mobile homes are readily available but do not fit the exact definition.”
In Rhode Island, with respect to dwelling units for sale, housing that is affordable is defined as housing in which principal, interest, taxes, which may be adjusted by state and local programs for property tax relief, and insurance, constitute no more than thirty percent of the gross household income for a household with less than one hundred and twenty percent of area median income, adjusted for family size. With respect to dwelling units for rent, housing that is affordable is defined as housing for which the rent, heat, and utilities other than telephone, constitute no more than thirty percent of the gross annual household income for a household with eighty percent or less of area median income, adjusted for family size, according to State Law 42-128 and 45-53.”
Representative Kenneth Mendonça said, “In Portsmouth and in Middletown, there are four “mobile” home parks that have between 82-137 homes, totaling over 430 owner-occupied households. Using over 100 samples from the Tax Assessor’s databases for both towns, the assessed value of these homes range from $10,500 to $78,000 and most were in the $60,000 range.”
Representative Sherry Roberts summarized, “We believe that it is unfair to exclude mobile homes from the state definition of “affordable housing” and that mobile and manufactured homes that are permanently installed in mobile home parks in groups of twenty or more, should be fairly recognized by the state as “affordable housing” as it relates to meeting Rhode Island's affordable housing mandates.”
For more information, contact:
Raina C. Smith, House Minority Office
State House Room 106
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2259
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