Strong, vibrant, and livable neighborhoods are the foundation of great cities. The Division of Housing & Community Development supports the creation of quality places through the strategic deployment of Federal funding provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In partnership with local community organizations and agencies, the Division of Housing & Community Development seeks to improve the lives and living conditions of the City’s low- and moderate-income residents. Through this funding, the City supports community-based strategies that enhance economic opportunity, build strong, safe, and stable neighborhoods, and provide quality affordable housing throughout the City.
The Division of Housing & Community Development is responsible for the administration of the following HUD-funded programs:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
The Community Development Block Grant was created in 1974 by the federal government to help revitalize local communities by providing decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons. Each year, the city receives funding to help achieve these goals from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These grant funds are passed on to eligible organizations through an annual competitive grant process, based on priorities established in the Consolidated Plan.
HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
HOME is authorized under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, as amended. Program regulations are at 24 CFR Part 92. The HOME program final rule is available electronically. Additional information about the HOME program can be found by visiting the HOME program web pages.
HOME provides loans to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or home-ownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people.
Eligible Activities Include:
- Development/Support of Affordable Rental Housing
- Development of Affordable Homeownership Housing
- Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
- Assistance to Homeowners for Down Payment or Repair Assistance
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
The Emergency Solutions Grants program provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. It can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. ESG also provides short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs. Each year, the city receives funding to support these services from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These grant funds are passed on to eligible organizations through an annual competitive grant process.
Eligibility
Shelters and other homeless providers are eligible to apply for funds for the following activities:
- Renovation, rehabilitation, and conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters or transitional housing for homeless people
- Essential services
- Operating costs such as maintenance, insurance, rent, etc.
- Homeless prevention
- Administration
NOTICE OF SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT
FY 2019 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT – CV Disaster Response
Notice is hereby given that the City of Providence will submit a substantial amendment to its FFY 2019 Action Plan for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds to include additional funds to address the coronavirus pandemic and reprogram funds originally appropriated to homelessness prevention activities. ESG funds are used to provide services/programs to homeless persons or those at risk of homelessness.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES ACT) has made available $1,846,439.00 in additional ESG-CV (“ESG-CV2”) for the City of Providence. These special ESG-CV funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance; and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.
Under the CARES ACT, there are additional regulatory flexibility/waivers for ESG-CV funds and the City of Providence must prepare a substantial amendment to its FFY 2019 Annual Action Plan.
Citizen Participation and Consultation is not applicable to ESG-CV funding but how the allocations will be used must be published on the City ‘s website. The City of Providence is proposing to use the CARES Act funds to address COVID 19 pandemic as outlined below.
New ESG-CV2 funds will support:
• Increased rapid rehousing assistance to enable expeditious transition from homelessness into housing – $700,000.00
• Assistance to homeless shelters to assist with preparing, preventing and responding to COVID-19 to ensure the safety and wellness of those in shelter and facility staff – $724,893.34
• Increased support for street outreach activities to engage unsheltered populations, provide critical case management and referrals, and support efforts to minimize transmission in encampments – $167,000.00
• Increased support for essential services, such as case management and coordination of benefits, for high-risk persons experiencing homeless – $69,901.66
• Administration and monitoring – $184,644.00
Additionally, ESG-CV1 funds previously appropriated shall be reallocated from Homelessness Prevention to Rapid Rehousing and Shelter Activities. (Homelessness Prevention needs shall be satisfied by other resources appropriated through recent relief packages.) ESG-CV1 funds will therefore be reallocated to the following:
• Increased rapid rehousing assistance: $769,755.98
• Shelter operations: $599,179.00
• Administration and monitoring – $152,103.00.
If you have any questions, comments or need further information regarding this notice, please contact Emily Freedman, Community Development Director, by calling 401-680-8435 or emailing .
Click here for a copy of this notice.
3/19/21
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program was created by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address the specific needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families, particularly in the area of housing and supportive services. Each year, the city receives funding to support these services in the Providence metropolitan area, including parts of Massachusetts, from HUD. These grant funds are passed on to eligible organizations through an annual competitive grant process.
Eligibility Organizations providing housing assistance for low-income persons living with AIDS are eligible to apply for funds for the following activities:
- Housing information services
- Resource identification
- Acquisition, rehabilitation, conversion, lease and repair
- New construction (single room occupancy and community residences only)
- Project- or tenant-based rental assistance
- Short-term rent, mortgage, and utility payments
- Supportive services
- Operating costs
- Technical assistance
We offer a variety of financial assistance programs to help low and moderate-income residents buy a home or maintain their existing home. Additionally, we work with both for-profit and non-profit developers and other organizations to increase the amount of affordable and special needs housing units throughout the city.
HOME REPAIR PROGRAM
If you have immediate repair problems and don’t qualify with a traditional lending institution, you may qualify for this one! Homeowners seeking Emergency Repairs are encouraged to apply.
- Must be owner-occupied.
- A 0% interest loan for up to $25,000!
- No monthly payments.
KEY DOCUMENTS:
- CDBG Home Repair Program Flyer – English
- CDBG Home Repair Program Flyer – Spanish
- CDBG Home Repair Application – English
- CDBG Home Repair Application – Spanish
- CDBG Home Repair Policies
- CDBG Home Repair Procedures
LEAD SAFE PROVIDENCE PROGRAM (LSPP)
General Information: The City of Providence provides loans to help make properties “lead-safe”. Loans for owner-occupied homes are forgivable after 5 years; loans for non-owner-occupied properties are forgivable after 10 years.
- LSPP is not a remodeling program.
- LSPP is required to treat all lead hazards identified at the property.
- Lead specified treatments will be required to make all damaged surfaces intact and/or friction-free.
- Only RI DOH certified program lead contractors can participate in the LSPP.
- Property owners will be required to approve property treatment lead specifications.
- Any cost for non-lead related up-grade treatments will be the responsibility of the property owner and must be paid in advance.
- Property owners are required to sign off on completed work and contractor payment requisitions.
Lead Safe Registry The Providence Lead Safe Housing Registry is provided to inform the community of housing units that have been made safe from lead-based paint hazards. The following units were determined to be lead-safe following their participation in the LSPP funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. The units shown below were deemed lead-safe based on a lead evaluation on the date shown.
“Lead-safe” means that there was no deteriorated lead-based paint, no lead-contaminated dust, and no exposed lead-contaminated soil identified at the time of the lead evaluation. This does not mean the property is “lead-free” as lead-based paint or lead in the soil may remain. The work was completed by certified Lead Professionals. The City of Providence makes no warranties as to the current condition of the property. Deterioration or activities of the owner, tenants, or others, may have created lead hazards since the original lead hazard clearance date.
For a current list of properties made “lead-safe” by the City of Providence’s program click here.
DOWN PAYMENT/CLOSING COST ASSISTANCE
- Administered through the Housing Network of Rhode Island.
- Use deferred payment loan to cover down-payment or closing costs.
Click here to view the 2019-2020 CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, ESG Budget. This document details the annual expenditure of federal dollars to support programs and projects to benefit low- and moderate-income Providence residents.
KEY DOCUMENTS:
Click here for the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and the Citizen Participation Plan.
An updated Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing was completed in 2020.
Click here for the CDBG Manual.
Click here for the HOME Manual.
For more information on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Programs, click here.
PUBLIC NOTICE
On July 19, 2021, the City of Providence Department of Planning & Development, Division of Housing & Community Development will hold a Public Hearing to discuss the City’s 2021-2022 Annual Action Plan and a proposed amendment to its 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan.
Programs covered include:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)
Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
Public Comment Period and Process:
The 2021-2022 Action Plan and 2020-2021 Amendment are available for public review and comment weekdays between the hours of 8:30am and 4:00pm at the Division of Housing of Community Development (444 Westminster Street, Suite 3A, Providence) or here:
Click here for DRAFT City of Providence 2021-2022 Annual Action Plan
Click here for DRAFT Amended 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan
A statutory, 30-day public comment period on the documents will begin on July 10, 2021 and end on August 10, 2021 at 4:00PM.
Citizens wishing to submit written comments during the public review and comment period may mail them to:
City of Providence Department of Planning & Development
Attention: Emily Freedman, Director of Housing & Community Development Division
444 Westminster Street, Suite 3A
Providence, RI 02903
Or email to: .
Opportunity for public comment will also be provided at a Virtual Public Hearing from 5-6PM on July 19, 2021. Hearing link: https://providenceri-gov.zoom.us/j/92940421015 or join by phone: +1 301 715 8592 or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free); Webinar ID: 929 4042 1015.
Este aviso es importante, si no lo entiende, por favor llame a Xiomara Gonsalves 401-640-8404 para recibir una explicación.
Sign Up for News
If you are interested in receiving general news and updates from the Community Development office (including announcements of Funding Opportunities) please sign up using the link below:
If you currently have an open/pending grant or interest in any of the following grant programs, please sign up for the appropriate email list:
below:
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
- Affordable Housing/HOME
- Housing for Persons with Aids (HOPWA)
- Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
CONTACT US
Director of Housing & Community Development
Emily Freedman
Address:
Joseph A Doorley, Jr. Municipal Building
444 Westminster Street, Suite 3a
Providence RI 02903
Directions
Hours of Operation:
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Summer Hours)
Fax Number: 401.680.8492
