Above: WBNA’s 1192 Westminster Street, providing affordable housing and office space since 2002
Over the past 6 months, WBNA has worked on two affordable housing projects to bring more housing voucher units to the neighborhood.
Part of WBNA’s explicit mission is to preserve and promote our diverse urban community. To do so, WBNA’s board, staff, and active members are working on actions and advocacy that support the expansion of affordable housing in the neighborhood. Here’s what we’ve been working on.
15 Almy Street
15 Almy Street is a long vacant two-family residence that is in deteriorated condition due to years of neglect, but has beautiful historic details that are still intact. While the property was in receivership, WBNA worked with the Planning Department and the Providence Revolving Fund to put together a development plan to purchase and renovate the property. Included in this proposal was a preservation training program led by Casa Buena Builders for students at the Providence Career and Technical Academy (PCTA) to do the work and a commitment to hiring minority contractors, with the ultimate goal of having two units available for families that qualify as low-income.
After months of negotiations and planning, a last minute loss came when a bidder that does not intend to provide affordable housing outbid WBNA by many tens of thousands of dollars. Being new to the receivership program, we were surprised and dismayed that a program intended to increase affordable housing could be so easily overturned. While we continue to look for other opportunities, WBNA has asked the city to consider policy changes to ensure that this program prioritizes the expansion of affordable housing in our neighborhoods.
We also recognize that the city is working on an Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy about which a public meeting was held on Augusts 26. We appreciate the city recognizing the need and working on the issue, and we along with so many others will stay at the table to help shape the strategy.
1192 Westminster Street
Since WBNA purchased and renovated it in 2002, 1192 Westminster Street has been dedicated solely as affordable housing and office space. The second floor of this historic building consists of a 3-bedroom apartment that is rented to a family with children that earns 30-60% of median income. The first floor is home to the offices of the Childhood Lead Action Project, a nonprofit devoted to eradicating childhood lead poisoning in Providence.
The property also has a two-bay garage. For many months, WBNA has done predevelopment planning and zoning work with the goal of converting the garage into an ADA accessible studio apartment for an individual qualifying for the city’s housing voucher program. We applied for HOME Funds to cover the cost of construction and residential conversion of the garage, but were unsuccessful due to severely limited funds. We are determined to make this project happen in the next year or two and are currently exploring how to fund the project.
While the above efforts have not yet had the hoped-for result, we will continue to share our ongoing housing work. In addition to these specific projects, WBNA has been looking at other sites and possibilities for expanding affordable housing in the neighborhood, and is joining with others to advocate for affordability to be included in development projects such as the former Citizens Bank site – efforts that will ultimately require longer-term policy change. WBNA is also a partner organization with Homes RI, a housing advocacy coalition.