Providence announces new program to acquire vacant land to build affordable housing
The city will use $8.5m in American Rescue Plan Act funds to acquire, hold, and transfer underused land throughout Providence.
PROVIDENCE — In the middle of a statewide housing crisis, the city of Providence has a favor to ask: Do you know of any vacant plots of land where affordable housing could be built?
On Thursday morning, Mayor Jorge O. Elorza announced the creation of the Providence Neighborhood Land Bank, a new program funded with $8.5 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds that will acquire, hold, and transfer underused vacant land throughout the city with the goal of generating new affordable housing.
Rhode Islanders can email suggestions of blighted, vacant lots for the Land Bank program to [email protected].
The Land Bank program will be housed within the Providence Redevelopment Agency, which is led by executive director Bonnie Nickerson. As part of the program, the agency will also release pre-approved, fully permitted small home plans prepared by local architects, for the eventual construction. These pre-approved plans will be provided at no cost to developers, and will be paired with available lots.
The program is designed to reduce barriers to development, such as site control and pre-development costs, to promote the construction of affordable housing.
“Bold policies and funding are needed to address the housing crisis in Rhode Island and nationwide,” said Elorza in the Aldermen Chambers in city hall City Hall during a press conference. “The Providence Neighborhood Land Bank Program is an important step in finding creative solutions to transform neighborhoods and prioritizing land for those who need it most.”
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