Riverhead proposes new ADU code, strengthens short-term rental enforcement

Riverhead officials have opened parallel tracks to change how accessory dwelling units are regulated and to tighten enforcement of short-term rental rules, moves that could reshape housing options for homeowners and tenants across the town.

A public notice dated October 21, 2025 scheduled a Town Board hearing for November 18, 2025 at or about 6:15 p.m. at 4 West Second Street to consider a proposed local law amending Chapter 263, the town code section titled "Rental Dwelling Units." The notice stated, "The intent of the proposed legislation is to strengthen the ability of the Town to enforce the prohibition on short-term (transient) rentals." Copies of the proposed amendment were made available at the Office of the Town Clerk at 4 West Second Street during business hours and under the Agenda and Minutes for the October 21, 2025 Town Board meeting on the town website.

Separately, a town notice posted Feb. 7 announced a public hearing on Feb. 18, 2026 to consider repealing Riverhead's existing accessory-apartment code and adopting a new Accessory Dwelling Unit section within the town building and housing code. The posted excerpt is truncated and does not include the full draft; town officials recommend residents review the full text at the Town Clerk's office for the precise language and standards under consideration.

The Long Island Housing Partnership is administering a Town-backed program called the Plus One Accessory Apartment for Riverhead Program, which opened for applications on Sept. 5, 2025. The program offers eligible single-family homeowners up to $125,000 in grant funds to build a new accessory apartment or bring an existing accessory apartment into code compliance, with up to $112,500 available for construction costs. Program materials note that "average costs to build a new ADU can be over $175,000." Income eligibility for applicants is capped at 120 percent of area median income for Nassau and Suffolk Counties as set by HUD. The program ties funding to occupancy restrictions: "the accessory dwelling unit improved with Program funds (the 'ADU') shall be occupied by a permanent tenant for the duration of the Regulatory Period; that the ADU shall not be used as a short-term rental, including as a vacation and/or seasonal rental; and that should the ADU become vacant during the Regulatory Period, the Owner shall make good faith efforts to market the ADU to potential permanent tenants." The materials also state, "There is no requirement that the household income of the AAU occupant be at or under a particular income level unless otherwise required by the Town."

These efforts come as Riverhead pursues broader downtown investments, including a nearly $33 million Town Square project funded in part through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Empire State Development Board Chairman Kevin Law said, "This groundbreaking is an important milestone for Riverhead and for the continued revitalization of Long Island’s downtowns." Governor Kathy Hochul also framed the Town Square as benefiting Main Street and riverfront access.

For residents wanting to review the proposed local laws, visit the Office of the Town Clerk at 4 West Second Street, Riverhead, where records are available between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or check the town's Agenda and Minutes for the Oct. 21, 2025 Town Board meeting. Town Clerk James M. Wooten can confirm hearing agendas and available drafts. As public hearings proceed, homeowners and renters should follow drafts closely: the outcome will affect who can build ADUs, how those units may be used, and what enforcement measures will apply to short-term rentals in Riverhead.