PROVIDENCE – Fourteen local cities and towns received 31 housing and community development grants totaling $5.9 million from the state, Gov. Daniel J. McKee and the R.I. Department of Housing announced Tuesday.
State officials say the monetary awards from the state’s community development block grant program, will enable a variety of housing, community facility, services and infrastructure improvements that emphasize on supporting low- and moderate-income residents. The program was administered for local cities and towns that do not receive such grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, state officials say.
R.I. Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor said Tuesday in a statement that it is the state’s hope the investments will position local communities to “foster vibrant neighborhoods, develop and preserve needed housing, and promote economic growth.” The grants ranged from $5,000 to $750,000.
The communities that received grants, their amounts and what the funds are for, are:
- Bristol: $67,103 on behalf of Looking Upwards to support costs to upgrade a shared five-bedroom home that supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Central Falls: $500,000 to help upgrade elevators at Forand Manor and Wilfrid Manor; $25,000 to support Progreso Latino and the Central Falls Children’s Foundation; $25,000 to support expanding Progreso Latino/Bilingual Senior Citizens Program’s hours
- Coventry: $541,650 to replace roofs for 96 public housing units and community hall; $495,247 install a new playground, reconstruct a new basketball court and add new lighting at Quidnick Park
- Cumberland: $500,000 to improve the Franklin Farm Long Barn facility; $300,000 for adaptive reuse of the former St. Patrick’s Church and rectory
- Middletown: $682,917 for a three-story addition to the West House II senior affordable housing development; $71,036 to help purchase and install an outdoor events pavilion for Middletown Senior Center; $50,000 to support Lucy’s Hearth’s operations; $35,000 for East Bay Community Action Program dental supplies and services; $10,890 for Looking Upwards to upgrade two group homes
- Newport: $313,930 for the Newport Housing Authority to complete its broadband project; $200,000 to add a water fountain and electrical services to the North End Basketball Park; $180,000 for salaries and expenses for the Washington Square Services Corp.’s McKinney Cooperative Shelter Program
- North Kingstown: $138,000 to support two case managers and a part-time resident services coordinator at Kingstown Crossings Apartments; $5,000 to support the town recreation department’s summer camp scholarship program
- North Providence: $80,000 to support Tri-County-Volturno Street Food Bank and Supportive Services’ operations
- Portsmouth: $750,000 to support the Ade Bethune House’s upcoming 54-unit senior housing building project
- Smithfield: $25,000 for improvements to Greenville House
- South Kingstown: $250,000 to support renovations to the town senior center’s parking lot; $40,000 to support the Jonnycake Center for Hope’s food pantry; $25,000 to support the WARM-Welcome House of Peace Dale’s meal operations
- West Warwick: $500,000 for the Brayton Street drainage project; $81,500 to improve a Looking Upwards group home; $50,000 to support Saint Elizabeth Community’s adult day services
- Westerly: $96,000 to support the Westerly Education Center’s workforce development training; $57,680 to support a Looking Upwards group home; $40,000 for the Jonnycake Center of Westerly’s emergency financial assistance program; $10,900 to support Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island
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.
