The Next 50 Years

The core mission remains unchanged.

Since 1975, SWAP has invested $143 million in transforming and revitalizing Providence’s urban South Side neighborhoods, with select projects in other communities, including Cranston, Jamestown, Barrington, and East Providence. Our core mission remains unchanged, but in our 50^th year, we face increasing challenges as the need and demand for entry-level affordable homes for sale and family-size apartments for rent are ever-present. The spike in housing costs over the past couple of years has driven the demand for affordable housing to crisis levels. The most significant challenge is having the resources available to address the demand.

Moving forward, it's important to remember - we may all be closer to Rhode Island's Housing Crisis than you think. Take a walk outside your door. Perhaps to the market, the neighborhood school, the fire station, or even the health clinic. Chances are, of the ten people you meet, more than half are housing cost-burdened. They are spending more on rent than they can afford. If they don't own a house, it is unlikely they can afford to buy one. These are workers who represent the economic future of Rhode Island - People who want to live here, raise families here, and become part of their communities.

The bottom line: Rhode Island needs more housing at all levels. And we need it now. We’ve been talking about the Housing Crisis for a few years now, and thankfully, our Federal, State, and Local officials have tapped it as one of their priorities. Working together, we are building more homes for sale, creating more affordable apartments, encouraging changes in zoning and regulations, and putting in place committed funding streams for housing. But more needs to be done. Cumbersome bureaucratic procedures are creating needless red tape. We must design and commit to a predictable and EXPEDITED process to address this crisis.

The challenges of this decade call for some bold changes to how we, as a community, provide safe and affordable housing for Rhode Islanders at all income levels- but especially those who are being priced out of being able to all Rhode Island their home.

Today, Rhode Island has an opportunity to make some long-lasting changes in our housing policies. The hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to address the housing crisis are important…but we must do more. We need to make fundamental, substantial changes to our housing policies. Without housing, there can be no economic growth. Only with bold, broad-based changes can we really address the housing crisis.

LESS RED TAPE = MORE HOUSING