Providence, like many communities across the country, is struggling to keep up with local demands for housing. While Providence has been disproportionately impacted by the state’s housing crisis, Mayor Brett Smiley has responded by investing American Rescue Plan Act dollars into emergency housing solutions and supporting housing development across all price points to meet residents’ needs.
Over the last year, under the leadership of Smiley, Providence has invested $4.3 million from ARPA to create or extend over 444 emergency shelter beds and is set to invest another $1.7 million in emergency housing support that is anticipated to benefit over 600 households. This is in addition to the ARPA funding that the city has invested in the Affordable Housing Trust that, all together, will create or preserve over 1,000 units of high-quality affordable housing projects across the city. Providence residents need both immediate support and long-term solutions to address the housing crisis, which is why Smiley has now established the Housing and Human Services Department to better coordinate and streamline the city's ongoing investments and strategies.