Vice President

Mayor Brett Smiley, Providence City Council advance $8.8 million federal housing and community investment package. PROVIDENCE, RI - Mayor Brett P. Smiley and Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) today announced passage of the City's HUD Entitlement Grants Budget for Program Year 2026-27, advancing critical investments in affordable housing, homelessness prevention, shelter improvements and essential services for Providence residents. "This funding package reflects our shared commitment to making Providence a more affordable, stable and resilient city," said Mayor Brett P. Smiley. "These investments will help families stay housed, expand pathways to homeownership, strengthen critical community services, and support the long-term development of affordable housing throughout our city. I want to thank the City Council, and especially Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris, who has helped lead this work as Chair of the URRP Committee and champion meaningful investments since joining the Council in 2015." Developed through close collaboration between the Smiley Administration and City Council, the package invests $5.45 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding to support housing, neighborhood improvements and essential community services across Providence. The ordinance, which also authorizes the City's annual federal funding applications through the CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA programs, received second passage by the City Council on Thursday and was signed by Mayor Smiley today. This budget will then be incorporated into an Annual Action Plan and submitted to HUD for final approval and release of funds. "All the councilors agree that putting money into the care and enrichment of our wards is of the utmost importance," said Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11). "Every dollar that goes to our community centers and service organizations has an exponential return on investment when it comes to both the literal and figurative health of our city." The package sustains and expands support for programs serving some of the city's most vulnerable neighbors, including increased allocations to Clinica Esperanza to expand healthcare services for uninsured and underinsured residents, the Mathewson Street Church meal site and Amos House's A Hand Up program. The package also includes significant housing investments, including: - $550,000 in HOME funds for a downpayment and closing cost assistance program that will provide forgivable purchase loans to first-time homebuyers. - $200,000 in CDBG funding to the Providence Housing Authority for predevelopment work at 200 Chad Brown to support the future transformation of the property into affordable housing. Funding will support environmental site assessment, architectural and engineering design and construction cost estimation. Additional investments to preserve and improve housing and shelter infrastructure include: - $657,360 in CDBG funding to Amos House to rehabilitate homes at 428, 430 and 434 Pine Street. The reinvestment will address aging building conditions and preserve 14 housing units for current and future residents. - $79,170 to Crossroads Rhode Island for domestic violence shelter capital improvements. - $275,000 to West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation for capital improvements at Sankofa Apartments. - $40,000 to Operation Stand Down Rhode Island for capital improvements to veterans housing. The CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA programs provide federal resources that help municipalities expand housing access, improve the lives of low-income residents and invest in neighborhood revitalization and community development initiatives.

Providence Public Library curatorial collaboration. Providence Public Library (PPL), in partnership with AS220, OPEN, and the City of Providence's Department of Art, Culture and Tourism (ACT), has formed a curatorial collaboration to activate and sustain the Library's gallery spaces during a period of transition. Following significant funding reductions in 2025, PPL made the difficult decision to eliminate dedicated humanities and gallery programming staff. Without intervention, one of Providence's most visible and accessible exhibition spaces -the Joan T. Boghossian Exhibition Gallery - risked going dark at a time when artists across the region are facing fewer opportunities to show their work. Rather than allow that to happen, PPL invited a cohort of trusted cultural partners -AS220, OPEN, and ACT- to share in the responsibility of curating and programming these spaces. Together, this group is working collaboratively to present exhibitions, support artists, and ensure that the Library remains an active and welcoming platform for creative expression. Each organization contributes its own perspective and expertise, while sharing responsibility for artist selection, exhibition development, installation, and coordination with PPL's communications team. This collaboration is rooted in a shared belief that Providence is an incredibly vibrant arts community and that accessible, public-facing exhibition space is essential to that ecosystem. The inaugural exhibition, PARIS+FRIENDS, is on view through May 2. Future exhibitions will continue on a rotating basis throughout 2026. If you are interested in proposing an exhibition or project, please fill out this form on the PPL's website. Please note that, at this time, funding for honoraria and production support is limited. Exhibition information will be available here when ready.