Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

DrewCrew62 t1_jch1wyq wrote

It’s all well and good that articles like this get written, but when are the state and local governments actually going to DO something about it?

61

Good-Expression-4433 t1_jchgcz6 wrote

When people start caring enough to turn up to hearings.

Landlord and real estate investors show up to hearings on housing prices and development in large groups like clockwork and there's often only a very small handful of tenants that do, and even that's often done through a community activist group.

People are fine with bitching about things but they don't care enough to step up and do or say anything about it to the people that can change shit. Even if you physically can't attend, there's a lot people can do with outreach efforts on social media or just making a phone call/sending an email.

19

Abaraji t1_jcixjm2 wrote

People showed up to protest at the hearings about the electricity rate hikes before last October and they still happened...

8

Proof-Variation7005 t1_jckc09a wrote

i think meaningful action requires more than a single protest/testimony at the 11th hour.

the electric rate hike sucks but we didn't even have the most extreme one in new england. having an oldass grid and other market factors werne't going to magically disappear if enough people talk about how much it sucks.

3

cojwa t1_jci9gen wrote

They are, the Senate is pushing through a 14 bill housing package that will pave the way for far more affordable housing and to curb zoning to allow for more housing

5

PvDSteamRoll t1_jchrar2 wrote

It’s a great problem to have. The last thing you’d want is cratering housing costs.

−8

abaum525 t1_jchdf3h wrote

How the replies in this thread will go:

  • The problem is that there's not enough housing, we need to change rules to allow more housing to be built.
  • The new housing won't be affordable housing, it will be luxury housing. This won't fix the issue since people will still be paying a high percentage of their income on rent.
  • The new luxury housing will allow people to move out of their current less luxurious housing, opening it up for other people to rent it at a lower rate.
  • Landlords will jack up the prices of those apartments too since the demand will allow it. In turn, there's still no affordable housing.

Rinse and repeat.

37

OrdersFriesEveryTime t1_jchswb0 wrote

“bUt iT’s BaSiC eCoNoMiCs”

-the people on this sub obsessed with Fane Tower

−7

Moelarrycheeze t1_jcheffj wrote

You forgot to add that the world is overpopulated

−13

abaum525 t1_jcheu6w wrote

I also forgot to mention that transplants from out of state are part of the problem.

Edit - I should say this isn't my perspective, but it's another reply that someone else will make in the thread.

15

[deleted] t1_jchrqlr wrote

16th generation Rhode Islander here. They are the fucking problem.

−4

RoastyToasty3 t1_jch6uq1 wrote

I had to move out of RI because I couldn’t afford to rent and didn’t want 1000 sq ft for 300k. Bought a 3bd 2 bath 1550 sq ft for 270k elsewhere.

23

Sydthebarrett t1_jch8ed2 wrote

I wish 1000sq in southern ri where I live and rent was 300k….looking more like 495 rn.

7

DrewCrew62 t1_jch99xw wrote

I got a 3 bed 1 bath 1500 sq feet in RI for around that price, but it needed a good chunk of work. I looked at a place that was like 800 sq feet, immaculate inside, and they wanted I think 280.

You’re either gonna get a shoebox for under 300k or a house that needs some love. And I consider myself lucky with the place I got, even with the work we had/have to put in

7

frozenwalkway t1_jchlbwu wrote

Where did u go

2

RoastyToasty3 t1_jchx00h wrote

Florida. Please don’t judge. :)

5

samcar330 t1_jci8ndi wrote

The rhode island - Florida pipeline must be studied, you'll be back.

15

Proof-Variation7005 t1_jckbh80 wrote

are you the man they write all the weird headlines about?

3

RoastyToasty3 t1_jckomli wrote

Yes. Yes I am. And it’s true, everyone down here is crazy. It’s definitely NOT a veil FL projects to keep our property taxes down and the secret that if you enjoy spring/summer all the time then this is the place for you.

I spent my last two winters in RI making small talk to strangers of “ugh, this cold weather, amirite?” And having people respond “I love it, couldn’t wait for fall.” And I figured out it was me.

lastly, Yes, DeSantis is fucking nuts and many residents think that.

3

ToadstoolsRule t1_jci6ehi wrote

At least you have nicer weather!

We move where we have to in order to survive. No shame in it, friend.

2

hobomom t1_jcozawq wrote

Have you spent a summer there yet? I abhor the cold, but in Florida if you want to do something like go for a run in the summer you need to be done by 9am or else you die.

1

RoastyToasty3 t1_jcup2xx wrote

2 summers, going on my 3rd. I love it. In Central FL there’s more of a change in temp in morning, noon and evening. But in the summer I definitely have to plan around the heat.

1

rhodyjourno OP t1_jcgrevh wrote

FROM THE STORY: Six of every 10 households that rent in Rhode Island spend more than half of their income on housing alone, and are at risk of homelessness, according to a newly released report.On Thursday, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released “The Gap” report, which is an annual compilation of data that examines the shortage of affordable homes across the country. The US has a total shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income rental households.

Between 2019 and 2021, the national shortage of affordable housing for extremely low-income renters worsened by more than half a million units, according to the NLIHC. Some rental inflation has cooled during the first quarter of 2023, but those with extremely low incomes are still facing significant barriers to finding and maintaining affordable housing. In many cases, their incomes are insufficient to cover even modest rental costs, NLIHC president and CEO Diane Yentel said.

In Rhode Island, there are 51,596 extremely low-income households, but only 27,547 rental homes are affordable and available to them, the report found, which shows a shortage of 24,049 affordable and available units just for this income bracket.

18

Flashbulb_RI t1_jcimdh7 wrote

Not long ago RI was relatively affordable. One could rent a nice 2 bedroom apartment on the East Side of PVD for $1,100 - $1,500 a month. 6 years ago there where plenty of nice houses in the Elmhurst area of PVD in the 250K range. Those houses are now 400K and up. What changed in the market? Why is there a housing shortage now in RI but not 6-10 years ago when housing was so much cheaper? For all the griping about RI, during the pandemic I saw lots of people moving in to my neighborhood from other states, so I think that explains some of the demand.

10

Mountain_Bill5743 t1_jcj2lkd wrote

Remote work. Remote work. Remote work. I have friends who commuted 60 miles roundtrip for work to Boston all during the big dig years even, but it required endurance. We're now in this economically unprecedented time where even the country's most remote towns (WY, MT, ID) are digital hubs.

But your example is exactly why the idea of "just move" doesn't work anymore. I "just moved" based on salary and cost of living for my career during the rents you referenced. It takes a few years to get on your feet and then, it's time to "just move" again to the next community, recover from cost of relocation, and get ready to move again when you get priced out again. Rinse and repeat. I consider myself unlucky to be renting still, but lucky to be at a high enough income to still buy here, but that is extremely privileged. Not everyone seeks nomad life, many people crave stability for their mental health and if people have kids, they need predictability, security, community, and consistency.

ProJo just posted about a House Hunters episode where a SF tech couple bought a 6 bedroom 900k+ house on the east side (to be closer to family, tbf). This is the kind of story that rarely existed in Providence outside of surgeons or business owners and the downstream effects mean all the regular folk are bidding up those Elmhurst bungalows from 250 to 500.

I admit I sound a bit jaded, but it's hard to see so much limited housing taken up by people who often never even considered investing in the local economy apart from real estate (since the salaries will never compete with firms in NYC). As a fellow transplant, I think that it is a baseline expectation to work here or simply volunteer your time to enrich the community in some capacity. Locals had no reservations about transplants when I moved here (they seemed to find it endearing and novel), but I think people become guarded when too many people move with the intention of being consumers only.

11

RoastyToasty3 t1_jcktu9w wrote

Starlink is going to destroy affordable land and housing when the middle of nowhere USA has fast reliable internet.

2

PvDSteamRoll t1_jcl8cbr wrote

Interest rates being kept artificially low for so long didn’t help. Now everyone is going to sit on those 3% mortgages forever.

2

hawtdawtz t1_jcit409 wrote

Im moving to Rhode Island from Hawaii, I was shocked to find the rental prices were nearly the same.

7

fuckdeer t1_jciaaps wrote

I live in American wire...the most over priced place I've seen. I can confirm this dog pee covered, weed and cigarette smelling, roof leaking place is indeed $2400/mo and is half my income. I'm leaving rhode island as soon as possible because of this. Beautiful state otherwise.

5

Easywind42 t1_jck5vvg wrote

As I sit here looking down the street at the endless empty houses just sitting here for rich out of staters to enjoy 2 months out of the year. Second house: double tax, third house: triple tax……

3

huh_phd t1_jchr35e wrote

And the overlords see no issue with this?

2

vanlife22 t1_jciwp1s wrote

Paying any amount of rent in RI is not worth it

2

ARC4120 t1_jcka6wr wrote

I left my hometown in California only for the prices here to catch up

2

Keelija9000 t1_jcjwbhz wrote

To have a home is not a favor.

1

RoastyToasty3 t1_jckth8z wrote

A home falls under all three categories: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We deserve the right to save and buy a home at same cost per salary ratio that Boomers had.

1

Keelija9000 t1_jckx9ag wrote

Personally money being applied to necessities bugs the shit out of me. If you can’t survive without it, money should not apply.

1

Spaday20 t1_jclab2p wrote

If possible move south! RI has become too expensive!!

1

barsoapguy t1_jcio07o wrote

I just want to throw this out there but if occupancy limits were raised more people could be crammed into a home. It’s not ideal but might provide some relief to low income renters by giving them more legal options.

−4

degggendorf t1_jcjwzn3 wrote

Are those limits really enforced now? I'd be interested to see how much of a difference that would really make.

1

PvDSteamRoll t1_jchr4h9 wrote

Nobody is forcing people to live in Rhode Island. There’s a big country out there with lots of affordable housing.

−7