The bill amends Section 45-53-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-53, "Low and Moderate Income Housing," to establish a procedure for the approval of construction projects targeting low- or moderate-income housing. It allows applicants to submit a single comprehensive permit application if at least 25% of the housing units are designated for low- or moderate-income residents. However, this streamlined process does not apply in municipalities where low- or moderate-income housing exceeds 10% of year-round housing units and that have an inclusionary zoning ordinance. The bill also introduces density bonuses and incentives for municipalities exceeding the 10% threshold while detailing requirements for those with lower percentages of such housing.

A key insertion in the bill specifies that in the town of Tiverton, applications for comprehensive permits shall not include accessory dwelling units as part of any project. Furthermore, once a comprehensive permit project receives final approval, no accessory dwelling units can be added. For the purposes of this section, "accessory dwelling unit" is defined as a residential living unit on the same lot where the principal use is legally established as a single-family or multi-family dwelling unit. The act is set to take effect upon passage, impacting housing development regulations in Tiverton.

Statutes affected:
7294: 45-53-4