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STREAMING ON OUR FREE TV APP success in building multifamily housing. The latter remains the primary driver of new construction— from 245 permits in 2021 to nearly 400 in 2024.
“ We’ re still struggling to build what we need. And you really need to have an allof-the-above strategy when it comes to new construction. More building leads to more vacancy, and that hopefully leads to prices stabilizing.”
Brenda Clement, executive director of HousingWorks RI, says Shekarchi’ s package of housing bills has“ really started to change the landscape at the local level about encouraging growth and development. Almost 80 percent of our funding comes from the federal level, but what you build, where you build, and how you build are all controlled at the local level. Are we done? Absolutely not. Is there resistance? Absolutely.”
In Narragansett, elections turn on the axis of hot button issues and last November, three council members who advocated for more restrictive housing were swept out of office. Depending on whom you talk to, it was either a desire for a new direction or a landlord’ s plot to flood the rolls with student voters. One of the losers, Steven Ferrandi, sued the town in July for failing to enforce the three-student ordinance. One of the winners, Town Council President Alex Menzies, is a defendant, uncomfortably between the lawyers’ advice and some residents’ insistence that Narragansett is not bound by state law. He is unsure how to turn the town where he was born, raised, schooled and loves, into an inclusive and affordable place, when people are ready to break out the pitchforks less than six months after an election.
At thirty-two, he has a good job as a senior merchandising analyst for CVS Health— but not good enough to buy a home in Narragansett. He lives with his parents while he pays off his student loans and keeps looking.
“ It’ s been very challenging,” he says.“ I can’ t afford to live in the town I represent.” 🆁
Ellen Liberman is an award-winning journalist and columnist who has commented on politics and reported on government affairs for more than four decades.
50 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY I OCTOBER 2025