2025-88

WHEREAS, Regarding housing and the availability of such in Newport, an environment has been created throughout several years where so-called middle income and workforce housing has become and continues to be, increasingly unattainable, driving many long-term, year-round residents out of the city; AND

WHEREAS, Non-owner-occupied short-term rentals have been and are a significant factor contributing to Newport's lack of available housing stock for potential year-round renters, as well as a major component affecting affordability for potential home buyers whose intent is to be year-round residents, and one of the driving elements of parking related concerns in the city; AND

WHEREAS, Short-term rentals continue to be allowed in certain zones within The City of Newport; AND

WHEREAS, Recent changes enacted by The Rhode Island General Assembly which are now part of state law governing zoning, allows for commercial and industrial buildings to be re-purposed for residential use, effectively creating a path for a potential considerable expansion of non-owner-occupied short term rental units within Newport, which could further exasperate the above mentioned housing and parking concerns; AND

WHEREAS, The Newport City Council does not believe that changes in state law mentioned above, which stated goals at the time of enactment (among others) was to provide for the potential creation of additional housing opportunities, would be consistent with said goal should the repurposing of commercial and industrial buildings for residential use, subsequently be converted to short term rental units; NOW THEREFORE, be it

RESOLVED: That the city council directs the city administration and solicitors to present to the Newport City Council by its next regular meeting, a plan that shall include ordinance changes and administrative policies to prohibit all new short-term rentals within the City of Newport which are non-owner occupied, which owner occupancy

shall be verified in a manner similar to that included in local ordinance(s) concerning classification as a full time city resident for purposes of the city's two-tiered residential real estate tax program; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED: That the city administration and solicitors shall take all necessary measures, including if necessary but not limited to, advertising of said proposed ordinance changes, review by necessary bodies and compliance with underlying state zoning law requirements concerning proposed municipal changes to zoning ordinances.

DAVID R. CARLIN III

IN COUNCIL
READ AND PASSED
MAY 14, 2025

LAURA C SWISTAK, CMC
CITY CLERK