Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris, of Ward 11, said many city residents are still facing financial ramifications from the COVID-19 pandemic, and from inflation. “Every community has to step up” and build more affordable housing - including Providence, she said.Įlorza said there’s “no reason” why this program should only be available for city residents, and hopes that the state takes on a similar initiative so it can help renters across the state.Ĭouncilwoman Nirva LaFortune of Ward 3 said while this program is one tool, more affordable housing is needed in addition to programs that will result in first-time home ownership opportunities. “We simply do not have enough supply, and we have to do more,” said Clement. More than one-third of Rhode Islanders are cost-burdened, which means households are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing alone, according to Brenda Clement, the director of HousingWorks RI. The city used $1 million of its CARES funds to create the Collaborative Housing Program to help families with eviction defense and rent relief, which provided legal services to 775 families facing eviction. The city launched a similar program in June 2020 at the height of the pandemic, which was funded by Congress’ Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill in response to the beginning of the pandemic. Flores said an “overwhelming majority of tenants facing eviction do so without legal help.” Flores, who is the managing attorney of the Housing Law Center at Rhode Island Legal Services. “Our work can mean the difference between the family having enough time to find their next home or to have to go to a shelter,” said Steven S. The program will also support bilingual outreach, the mayor said. “This investment the is making is to try to prevent that.” “Anything we can prevent our residents and our neighbors from falling in that quicksand of deep poverty, we should do,” said Mayor Jorge O.
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