Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions | Page 63

5 Housing

Housing Occupancy

Table 5-6 details the vacancy rates of Newport’s housing stock. While vacancy rates in Newport are much higher than
those in Westerly and the State of Rhode Island as a whole. However, unlike the growing vacancy rate averages within
the state, Newport’s has decreased slightly between 2010 and 2014. Although, Newport’s total number of housing
units has also decreased significantly within that time period.
Table 5-6 – City of Newport Housing Occupancy Status
Occupancy
Status

2000 Total

2000 Percentage
of Total

2010 Total

2010 Percentage
of Total

2014 Total

2014 Percentage
of Total

11,566

87.4%

10,616

81.2%

10,626

80.7%

1,660

12.6%

2,453

18.8%

2,544

19.3%

13,226

100.0%

13,069

100.0%

13,170

100.0%

7,346

94.0%

7,362

89.7%

7,644

87.6%

466

6.0%

848

10.3%

1,086

12.4%

7,812

100.0%

8,210

100.0%

8,730

100.0%

408,424

92.9%

410,305

89.1%

409,569

88.5%

31,413

7.1%

50,429

10.9%

53,361

11.5%

TOTAL UNITS
439,837
100.0%
460,734
100.0%
Source: 2000 U.S. Census, 2010 & 2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

462,930

100.0%

Newport
Occupied
Vacant
TOTAL UNITS
Westerly
Occupied
Vacant
TOTAL UNITS
Rhode Island
Occupied
Vacant

Similar to housing occupancy, is housing overcrowding. Map 5-3 shows trends in housing overcrowding in Newport.
This is information on housing units that have more than one occupant per room.

Seasonal and Temporary Housing

Seasonal housing are units that are only occupied during
Short term rental applications,
certain periods of the year, presumably during the tourism
such as Airbnb, and Dark Houses
season. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1,737 units, or
often have significant impacts
approximately 13% of total vacant housing units in 2014
on neighborhoods in destination
were seasonal units. This number is a significant jump from
cities like Newport.
858 units, or six percent of housing, in 2000. Seasonal
housing is seen in the form of short term rentals, which are
units that are rented out for vacationers throughout the year for short periods at a time. Seasonal housing also
includes owner occupied homes that are lived in part time throughout the year. This creates the Dark House
phenomena, which occurs when houses are shut down and vacant for a large portion of the year. The preservation of
neighborhoods in regards to rentals is further discussed in Chapter 6, Neighborhoods.
Map 5-4 displays the information on where seasonal occupancy is most prevalent in Newport.

Draft Existing Conditions (March 2016)

Page 5-9