Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON DC – In an effort to make quality, affordable housing a reality for more Rhode Islanders, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that twenty-four Rhode Island cities and towns will receive a total of $26,272,480 in federal funding through the Public Housing Capital Fund. Senator Reed led efforts at the federal level to make this money available through the fiscal year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations law, which was signed into law by President Biden on December 29, 2022.
Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), this fiscal year 2023 Public Housing Capital Fund money will help local communities preserve, develop, finance, and modernize public housing.
“Everyone should have a safe place to live with dignity and respect. Public housing offers an affordable lifeline for many low-income families. This new federal funding will improve housing conditions for vulnerable residents. It will help preserve public housing units, a critical source of affordable housing. These federal funds will help local housing agencies improve the condition of their buildings, preserve affordable housing, and help us build stronger neighborhoods and communities,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of both the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, which authorizes the program, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD), which appropriates money for it. “This funding will be put to work making capital repairs, maintaining public assets, and ensuring quality, affordable housing is available. It means local housing authorities can address their most pressing needs and will help hire additional maintenance staff and contractors.”
The Public Housing Capital Fund Program provides local housing authorities with funding for the modernization of public housing and ongoing maintenance needs. Local agencies can use the funding for a broad array of improvements that may include redesigning, reconstructing, and reconfiguring public housing sites and buildings; addressing safety code compliance needs; replacing obsolete utility systems and dwelling equipment; and investing in resident programs that help improve economic empowerment.
Through his work on the THUD Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Reed helped include $3.2 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund in the 2023 appropriations law.
According to HUD, Rhode Island has approximately 9,000 public housing units across the state.
Public Housing Agencies in the following cities and towns will receive funding:
Bristol: $457,364
Burrillville: $235,206
Central Falls: $862,992
Coventry: $444,903
Cranston: $1,418,287
Cumberland: $361,603
East Greenwich: $90,933
East Providence: $1,089,451
Jamestown: $71,206
Johnston: $354,142
Lincoln: $653,945
Providence: $8,115,251
Pawtucket: $2,315,644
Narragansett: $30,603
Newport: $2,491,040
North Providence: $289,796
Smithfield: $144,060
South Kingstown: $283,042
Tiverton: $113,269
Warren: $318,098
Warwick: $1,196,171
Westerly: $321,438
West Warwick: $579,959
Woonsocket: $4,034,077
TOTAL: $26,272,480