After hearing more concerns with the latest plans at 650 Green End Ave. and 26 Oliphant Lane, the Town Council votes 4-2 to turn back affordable housing there. However, councilors agree to still work hard to make #MiddletownRI more affordable.
TOWN COUNCIL TURNS BACK AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN
MIDDLETOWN, RI (APRIL 28, 2025) – Affordable housing projects for Green End Avenue and Oliphant Lane have been turned back by the Town Council.
During a well attended meeting in Town Hall Monday night, council President Paul Rodrigues, Vice President Thomas Welch and Councilors Peter Connerton and Chris Logan said the proposal was too much for both areas of town.
Concerns with the size of the proposed buildings at 650 Green End Ave. and 26 Oliphant Lane and lack of sufficient parking were both cited, among other issues. Previously, the council endorsed plans with fewer units at both locations, but the state said there needed to be more “density” to be competitive for state support to kickstart the project.
Councilors Dennis Turano and Barbara VonVillas were in favor of the latest plan from Pennrose, saying the town needed to do more to address affordable housing in Middletown.
What happens next was unclear at the end of the hour-and-a-half session, but the council would continue to find ways to keep Middletown affordable without pursuing a project of its own.
“I can’t support this,” Logan said. “I feel like we’re taking 20 pounds of potatoes and putting them in a five-pound sack.”
Opening the meeting, Pennrose officials presented revised plans for several aspects of the Green End Aveue development site. A national housing firm, Pennrose was brought in to help get the Middletown project over the goal line.
Among the changes included adding a handful of parking spots to help accommodate residents and visitors to the site between Turner Road and Berkeley Avenue.
Pennfield officials also presented designs that showed the building with a pitched roof, which would bring the total height of the three-story structure to 46 feet tall. The closed Peckham School was estimated to be about 24 feet tall.
To view the revised designs, go to https://www.middletownri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19006/Pennrose-42825 online.
In response, most neighbors said they supported the idea of affordable housing, just not the size and scope proposed on Green End Avenue and Oliphant Lane.
Councilors acknowledged they were in a tough spot and the decision on the Pennrose plan was not an easy one. As an abutter to the Oliphant site, Councilor Charlie Roberts has recused himself from the discussion.
And while several said they were impressed with the work done by Pennrose and the town’s Affordable Housing Committee, there were too many problems with the current designs.
Over the past several years, the council has led a multi-pronged effort to make Middletown more affordable.
One goal was creating 72 total units at the Green End Avenue and Oliphant Lane locations. The Green End Avenue site is home to the closed Peckham School, with the Oliphant site housing the school’s administrative and maintenance offices.
Thousands of homeowners have taken advantage of the council’s Tiered Residential Tax Program (TRTP) since 2022. Eligible residents saved 30 percent on their tax bills this year through the TRTP. The deadline to submit the latest round of that paperwork has been pushed to May 15. Visit https://mdl.town/TRTP for more.
The council recently approved new ordinances to make it easier to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and multi-family developments in Middletown, an initiative pushed statewide by the General Assembly.
Language providing tax breaks to residential landlords who rent their properties longterm was also okayed by the council. The goal was to offer additional incentives to property owners to rent on a year round basis instead of day-to-day like with short-term rentals.
The General Assembly must sign off on that initiative before it goes live in Middletown. Applications are being accepted at the town’s tax office now through May 1. Visit https://mdl.town/Tax-Help or drop by the Assessor’s office on the first floor of Town Hall during normal business hours for more.
In addition to the Green End Avenue and Oliphant Lane locations, the town has been pursuing affordable housing at 361-393 East Main Road. That project across from Town Hall hasn’t gotten off the ground yet because the town hasn’t been able to secure the necessary funding from the state.
The last affordable housing application for the Green End Avenue and Oliphant Lane sites didn’t have enough “density” to earn state support. This was especially true when compared to other affordable housing projects across the Ocean State competing for the same pool of money.
In response, Pennrose revised its plans for both locations to better meet the requirements for state funding. That included adding 15 more units to the project and other additions.
The town has been aggressive about its approvals for housing projects, including those that include affordable and workforce homes. Close to 600 apartments, condos and houses have been approved or are on the boards in town — or close to 10 percent of the existing housing stock in the community.
This includes the Middletown Center project at 600-740 West Main Road that earned a positive advisory recommendation — with conditions — from the Planning Board last week. The council has special meetings scheduled for June 23 and 30 at 6 pm in the Gaudet Middle School cafetorium to consider that project.
Work has been progressing steadily at Rosebrook Commons at 1747 West Main Road, formerly home to the Skater Island indoor skatepark. Approximately 144 apartments are planned for the space, including more than 50 that are affordable.
A recent Housing Works RI report showed there are 7,217 housing units in Middletown. Of those, 56 percent are owner occupied, with the remainder rented out.
The data showed of the owner occupied units, 33 percent were considered “burdened,” meaning they pay more than 30 percent of their gross pay towards housing. Those figures increased to 41 percent for those who rented.
Middletown has about 360 affordable housing units, as defined by state law. That puts the total percentage of affordable units at close to 5 percent. The goal under state law is to have at least 10 percent of all housing considered affordable.
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-AH-42825
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
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