Rhode Island

Proposed lumber tariffs could tighten the screws on Rhode Island’s housing market – What's Up Newp

Published

9 months ago

March 23, 2025

Proposed lumber tariffs could tighten the screws on Rhode Island’s housing market – What's Up Newp

As Rhode Island continues to grapple with a mounting housing crisis, proposed federal tariffs on lumber and other essential building materials could add more pressure to an already strained market. While the policy change is national in scope, its impacts will be felt acutely here at home—especially by homebuyers, builders, and affordable housing developers striving to meet demand in one of the nation’s tightest markets.

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced an increase in tariffs on Canadian lumber imports—an essential resource for home construction. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), these tariffs could raise the average cost of building a single-family home in the U.S. by tens of thousands of dollars, and potentially even significantly more.

This is particularly problematic in Rhode Island, where demand continues to outpace housing supply and affordability is increasingly out of reach for many. The bulk of new residential construction in the Ocean State uses wood-frame methods, and wood comprises approximately 75% of the total material in these builds. A 25% increase in the cost of lumber could drive up overall construction costs by as much as 15%, and once you factor in financing and developer overhead, that number could jump to 20% or more. That additional cost almost always gets passed along to buyers and renters.

Local developers are already taking defensive steps. Some affordable housing organizations have begun pre-ordering materials—such as appliances and materials—to get ahead of potential price increases on large-scale projects. But for many builders, especially smaller firms or those working within tight funding parameters or budgets, there’s only so much that can be done to absorb the rising cost of materials.

Across Aquidneck Island and coastal South County—where developable land is limited and permitting processes can be lengthy—even modest cost increases can make or break a project. When costs rise, developers either delay building, scale back their projects, or shelve them altogether. That means fewer homes being built in neighborhoods that desperately need them.

This cost volatility couldn’t come at a worse time. Rhode Island’s median single-family home price has soared to $450,000 this year—up more than 40% since the pandemic. And with interest rates hovering around 7%, many potential buyers are already priced out of the market. An increase in build cost might not mean much to institutional developers, but for a middle-income buyer, it could be the difference between qualifying for a mortgage or not.

According to HousingWorks RI, more than 35% of Rhode Island households are already “cost burdened,” meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing. With construction costs climbing, the long-term consequences could include an even tighter market, greater competition for limited inventory, and further displacement of working-class families.

For towns like Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Jamestown—where the tourism economy depends heavily on service workers and seasonal staff—the housing crisis is not just a real estate issue. It’s an economic one.

Local builders are already contending with labor shortages, long lead times on materials, and increased regulatory hurdles. The added strain from tariffs on essential materials like lumber and steel could tip the scales further. In some cases, it could push builders out of the market entirely, stalling much-needed housing production and weakening the already fragile pipeline of workforce housing.

Trade policy may seem far removed from the day-to-day realities of the local housing market here in Newport County, but its effects are anything but distant. As federal agencies continue to review and implement new tariff structures, Rhode Islanders, particularly those hoping to buy, rent, or build in the near future, will feel the ripple effects.

It’s now up to state and local officials, along with housing advocates and developers, to make the case for creative solutions. That could include increased public subsidies for affordable housing projects, expedited permitting processes, or state-level programs to help mitigate cost increases due to federal policy changes.

At a time when the state is working to add tens of thousands of new housing units by 2030, the impact of these proposed tariffs on wood-frame construction must be closely monitored. And for Rhode Islanders, this isn’t just a policy issue in Washington. It’s a kitchen-table issue at home.

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Rhode Island

RI school superintendent resigns amid antisemitic hazing investigation

Published

4 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

RI school superintendent resigns amid antisemitic hazing investigation

A Rhode Island school superintendent has resigned amid an investigation into alleged antisemitic hazing in the district, NBC affiliate WJAR-TV reports.

Smithfield Superintendent Dr. Dawn Bartz announced her resignation in a letter addressed to the school community. Bartz has been on leave since November after a report of hazing at Smithfield High School.

The Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island said five high school football players locked a freshman student in a bathroom, sprayed Lysol at the student and yelled antisemitic slurs.

In her resignation letter, Bartz focused on her successes surrounding academic outcomes, special education and STEM opportunities and other positives for the district, and thanked the community.

“As Smithfield moves forward, I am confident the district will continue to build on this progress
and momentum. I wish all our students, staff, and families continued success in the years ahead,” she wrote.

The letter did not specify a reason for the resignation.

WJAR-TV first reported on the situation on October, when the Bartz released a statement on its investigation.

“The investigation confirmed inappropriate conduct among a small number of students,” Superintendent Dawn Bartz said in a provided statement. “Disciplinary action has been taken in accordance with district policy, and several student-athletes will not participate for the remainder of the season.”

The statement went on to say that there would be mandated training and education in response. However, the involved players were back at practice, which didn’t sit well with the victim’s family. His parents said his son walked into practice and found himself face-to-face with his alleged assailants.

Five football players were initially removed from the team for the remainder of the season but were later reinstated. When asked about the reversal in October, Bartz issued a one-sentence statement saying, “The disciplinary process has concluded and we will not be discussing details involving students.”

Smithfield Town Council President John Tassoni said the situation has deeply divided the community.

“It’s a long time coming,” Tassoni said of Bartz’s resignation. “A lot of people are angry about what happened. A lot of people don’t know the truth of what happened, nor do I.”

An investigation is underway by the school committee’s attorney and a report is expected to be delivered to the school committee sometime next year, Tassoni added. However, some people have concerns about transparency and have floated the possibility of hiring an independent investigator.

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island said they want the focus to be on student safety.

“While we can’t speculate on the specific reasons behind the superintendent’s decision to resign, we remain focused on what matters most: that Smithfield schools become a place where Jewish students and all students feel safe, valued, and protected from bias and harassment,” President and CEO Adam Greenman wrote in an email.

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Rhode Island

Prosecutors in Rhode Island drop charge against former Bay View athletic director

Published

16 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Prosecutors in Rhode Island drop charge against former Bay View athletic director

Prosecutors in Rhode Island dropped a fugitive from justice charge against a former Catholic school athletic director.

John Sung was arrested in East Providence last month. He was wanted in Florida for a non-violent felony.

After his arrest, he was fired from his position at St. Mary Academy Bay View in Riverside.

Broward County court records show Sung was taken into custody last week. He posted bond.

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Rhode Island

The top returning girls wrestlers? Here are 10 to watch this season

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

The top returning girls wrestlers? Here are 10 to watch this season

Girls wrestling took off last winter in its second year of state championships.

Exactly 50 participants, across a dozen weight classes, competed in the March extravaganza at the Providence Career and Technical Academy. Each weight class was contested, unlike the first year of the tournaments, and new title winners were crowned.

Pilgrim’s Allison Patten was named Most Outstanding Wrestler for her win at 107. The Patriots’ star also finished runner-up at the New England Championships and is among this year’s returnees. But who else should we be keeping an eye on this winter?

Here are 10 standouts who we think might shine this year.

Enjoy!

Athletes listed in alphabetical order.

Yasmin Bido, Hope

Senior

Bido snagged her first individual crown with a 16-0 decision at 152 pounds. The Blue Wave grappler also finished runner-up at 165 in Year 1 of the tournament.

Irie Byers, North Kingstown

Sophomore

Byers stormed onto the scene with a title in her first year on the mat. She captured the 120-pound championship with an 11-1 win in the finals. The Skipper returnee is one of a few wrestlers who could repeat.

Jolene Cole, Scituate

Sophomore

Cole helped Scituate to the team title in the first year that the award was handed out. Scituate is a bit of a girls wrestling factory, and Cole added to that lineage with her pin at 114 pounds.

Alei Fautua, North Providence

Sophomore

Fautua breezed to the title at 235 pounds with a pin in just 25 seconds. She led the Cougars to a runner-up finish as a team as Scituate edged the Cougars by just seven points. Fautua then finished fourth at the New England championships.

Kamie Hawkins, Exeter-West Greenwich

Junior

This year is all about redemption for Hawkins. She was one of the first state champions and came back last year looking to defend her 120-pound title. It wasn’t meant to be, but make no mistake, Hawkins is one of the state’s best.

Abigail Otte, Exeter-West Greenwich

Junior

Otte was a repeat champion at 138 pounds as she seized the title with a pin in 24 seconds. It’s likely a safe bet that Otte might capture her third crown in three years.

Allison Patten, Pilgrim

Junior

A repeat season isn’t out of the question for Patten. She won the 107 pound title with a pin in 49 seconds. What’s next for the junior? End the season with a New England title, too.

Chloe Ross, Scituate

Sophomore

It was quite the debut for Ross. The state crown was a breeze as the freshman won via pin in 1:16. But then came the New England tournament where the Spartan star snagged second place. Might there be a different ending to her season this year?

Meili Shao, La Salle

Senior

Shao was one of the first wrestling champions when she captured the 132 title two seasons ago. A repeat crown wasn’t in the cards as she finished runner-up in the class. But the Ram has returned and could be out to avenge last year’s finish.