Home Economy Government Providence introduces new home repair program for low-income residents

Providence introduces new home repair program for low-income residents

By

James Bessette

-

05/08/2024

PROVIDENCE MAYOR Brett P. Smiley announced Wednesday a new city-run home repair program to assist low-income residents to make needed repairs to their properties. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – A new city-run program will help low-income residents who have incurred multiple housing code violations make essential repairs to their homes at no cost. Mayor Brett P. Smiley announced Wednesday the launch of its new Home Repair Program, to be run by both the city Department of Inspection and Standards and the Providence

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PROVIDENCE – A new city-run program will help low-income residents who have incurred multiple housing code violations make essential repairs to their homes at no cost. Mayor Brett P. Smiley announced Wednesday the launch of its new Home Repair Program, to be run by both the city Department of Inspection and Standards and the Providence Revolving Fund. The program’s goal, Smiley says, is to improve health, safety and quality of life within the city’s neighborhood. “We are committed to being more than just a fund; we are a catalyst for enduring change, making a lasting impact on the lives of individuals, families, and entire neighborhoods,” Providence Revolving Fund Executive Director Carrie Zaslow said in a statement. Smiley says the program will provide funds to homeowners who are unable to maintain their properties, often due to unexpected financial hardship. The mayor says the program will focus on various properties with code violations against them – roofing, plumbing, electrical work and structural – ranging from one to four units and owned by those who earn at or below 100% of the area’s median income. The project itself is funded by both $3 million from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds and fines collected by the inspection and standards department, which are then redirected to the Providence Revolving Fund, Smiley says. “By reinvesting the fines we’ve collected from DIS into Providence neighborhoods, we are not only helping our most vulnerable homeowners who have fallen behind, but we’re also improving the quality-of-life, safety and well-being of our communities,” Smiley said in a statement. Smiley also says the program is administered through five-year forgivable loans and restrictions apply. Homeowners needing assistance are urged to contact the inspections department at 401-680-5201. James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.