ProJo: Towns lobby for easing of R.I.'s affordable-housing mandate

PROVIDENCE — Narragansett Town Planner Michael J. DeLuca, speaking for eight communities in Washington County, urged a legislative commission Wednesday to change state law so that more low-cost housing could be counted as affordable housing.

This in turn would help more towns meet the state's mandate to have at least 10 percent of the housing stock be affordable, without having to build more housing.

DeLuca also asked that the state law be changed to acknowledge that many slow-growing rural communities can't immediately meet the state's 10-percent affordable-housing mandate.

He said he was representing town planners from Richmond, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Hopkinton, Charlestown, Westerly, Exeter as well as Narragansett, in his presentation before the Special Legislative Commission to Study the Low and Moderate Income Housing Act.

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