Providence Mayor Smiley is proposing a housing stabilization package that includes one-million-dollars in emergency assistance funding for renters facing eviction.
The Rental and Essential Needs Transition known as RENT, would provide one-time grants of up to three-thousand-dollar per household to prevent evictions during times of financial crisis.
The mayor says the RENT Fund will give those facing hardship a critical lifeline so an unexpected crisis does not turn into permanent displacement.
“Housing stability is fundamental to the health and strength of our communities,” said Mayor Brett Smiley. “The RENT Fund will give Providence neighbors facing hardship a critical lifeline so that an unexpected crisis does not turn into permanent displacement. This proposal builds on our broader strategy to protect tenants through eviction defense, maintain safe housing through code enforcement, and expand education for both landlords and renters. At the same time, we are tackling the root cause of the housing crisis by investing in the Providence Housing Trust Fund and working to build more affordable homes across our city so that every neighbor has a safe, stable place to call home.”
The money for the RENT fund would come from the property sales of Asa Messer Elementary School and the Humboldt Avenue Fire Station.
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News / Getty Images