Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy to Guide City’s Bold Vision for Expanded Access to Safe, Affordable and Equitable Housing
March 1, 2021
PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Jorge Elorza, the City of Providence Department of Planning and Development and the Providence City Council today released the final draft of the City’s Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy. This first-of-its kind plan builds an actionable 10-year road map for policy recommendations, new programs and housing investments.
“Finding safe, affordable housing is more important now than ever with so many Rhode Islanders struggling with the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “I am proud of the work we’ve done with my colleagues in City Council and the Department of Planning and Development to take immediate action on shared housing priorities. With the voice of the community leading the way, together we will ensure that City resources are used to ensure access to safe, affordable and suitable housing for all residents.”
The City of Providence engaged RKG Associates to embark on an in-depth analysis of Providence’s housing market. As part of the 10-month process, a series of discussion groups, stakeholder interviews, and community working sessions provided essential insights for the development of the Strategy. The City of Providence previously distributed a draft version of the Strategy in December 2020. The community was invited to review the draft plan and provide feedback during a 30-day public comment period which was incorporated into the final plan release.
“Affordable and safe housing is a basic fundamental human right. Many of our residents have lost their livelihoods and are now facing the possibility of losing their homes because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, we must work together to ensure that we are taking care of those that need our assistance, now more than ever. The City Council is committed to working with the administration and other partners to create affordable housing in our City. It is the reason, why under the leadership of Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris, we created the City Council’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. I look forward to working together to continue our joint work on addressing housing-insecurity for our residents, and this is another step in achieving that end,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos
From expanded tenant advocacy and Landlord Assistance Programs to implementation of a rental registry program, the City has already begun to prioritize the programmatic, policy, and regulatory approaches outlined in this plan. A full overview of recommendations, including key findings and funding strategies, is available in the report, here. To help guide the decision-making of the recommendations, the City will convene a Community Advisory Group. The group makeup will reflect Providence’s diverse community and housing ecosystem, and place the varying needs of renters, homeowners, landlords, developers and community providers front and center.
For more information about the Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy—including how to stay up-to-date on citywide housing initiatives—visit the project website: https://www.providenceri.gov/planning/comprehensive-housing-strategy/