Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse
Strategy-of-the-Month
February 2007
Local jurisdictions often enforce zoning
regulations
that restrict or exclude affordable
housing development.
Block Island, Rhode Island recently
approved zoning
amendments to allow more flexibility
in the development
of affordable housing.
The Block Island Housing Board, an
affordable housing
task group, recommended changes to
the town's zoning
code in an effort to promote the production
of
affordable housing. Upon reviewing
the Board's
recommendations, the town council agreed
to incorporate
the zoning changes. The new provisions
will expire when
30 affordable rental units and 40 affordable
for-
purchase units have been constructed.
The new language
also allows low- to moderate-income
housing to be
subsidized by municipal (in addition
to state or
federal) funds; these units will remain
affordable for
a period of 99 years.
Amendments to the zoning code include
the following:
o Special Use Permits can be granted
to double the
density of housing in any zone to accommodate
more
affordable housing units. The Housing
Board will
serve in an advisory role to the Zoning
Board for
issuance of the permits.
o The number of accessory (dwellings)
apartments
constructed per year will no longer
be restricted.
o Individual sewage disposal systems
used for
affordable housing will now be allowed
on lots
separate from the structure.
o Bedroom limit standards in accessory
(dwellings)
apartments will no longer be enforced
in structures
not connected to the public sewer system.
Additional information on Block Island's
zoning
amendments can be found
at https://www.huduser.gov/rbc/search/rbcdetails.asp?DocId=1477.
We hope this information proves useful
to you in your
efforts to grow your region's affordable
housing stock.
If you have regulatory reform strategies
or resources
that you'd like to share, send us an
email
at rbcsubmit@huduser.gov,
call us at 1-800-245-2691
(option 4), or visit our website at
www.regbarriers.org.
Feel free to forward this message to
anyone who is
working to reduce regulatory barriers
to affordable
housing.
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