5Q: Frank Shea

 / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
/ PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

1What is the mission of the organization, a merger of Olneyville Housing Corp. with Community Works RI?

To work with residents of Elmwood and Olneyville to build a safe, healthy and stable community. We accomplish our mission through: creation and preservation of affordable housing and development of commercial real estate to spur economic development; community building and organization to strengthen the neighborhoods’ social fabric; individual asset building to prepare families for homeownership and prevent foreclosure; and ONE WORKS, our social enterprise which prepares young people for work while providing landscaping and maintenance services in the neighborhoods.

2Why did the two organizations merge?

This move is motivated by a shifting national and local environment for affordable housing and community development. We believe that affordable-housing development works best when it is resident led and owned and combined with a comprehensive neighborhood-development strategy.

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3What are some of the projects in the pipeline?

Construction will begin this month on two properties in Elmwood and our Amherst Gardens project will break ground in the fall. That project is focused around Amherst Street in the residential core of Olneyville and will transform 13 foreclosed and blighted properties into attractive and stable housing for 36 families.

4Tell us about the Olney Village Apartments project.

The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition recognized the Olney Village project as part of the Edson Excellence awards, which go to the most outstanding tax-credit funded developments. Olney Village was selected because of its impact on the neighborhood directly surrounding the D’Abate School, which had been heavily impacted by the foreclosure crisis. In addition to transforming 15 nuisance properties into homes for 40 families, the project has supplied new permanent locations for the Olneyville Food Center and a youth theater initiative, the Manton Avenue Project.

5Is the greatest challenge in redeveloping neighborhoods with blighted sections a lack of private investment?

No. We are fortunate to have been able to attract investment for projects that are financially viable. However … we still need something to leverage that investment with. The main challenge is the limited subsidies available. •

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