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Rhode Island
Apartment construction booming across US. Why not RI? | Opinion
Cliff Wood is the executive director of The Providence Foundation.
You might not realize it when driving through Providence, but apartment construction is booming throughout the United States. More units will become available in 2023 than in any year since the early 1970s. Cities ranging from Austin to Charlotte to Nashville have seen inventory growth as high as 90%. But there aren’t many cranes over our capital city. By at least one measure, the Ocean State ranks last in the nation. Why?
The problem isn’t a lack of demand. People want to live here — something that cannot be said for many other places across the country. So why haven’t developers erected more homes in Rhode Island, particularly in the places where demand is greatest, like downtown Providence? That question could elicit a range of answers, but the reality comes down to two — one economic and the other strategic.
More: Rhode Island’s housing crisis is at a breaking point. How did we get here?
The economic challenge revolves around the return a developer gets on any proposed project. Building materials are just as expensive here as they are in Boston, or on Cape Cod — concrete, lumber and the like. The cost of labor is similar as well. But the rents a developer can charge in Providence are a fraction of what he or she will get after constructing the very same unit in, say, Cambridge or Newton, which brings us to the strategic reason development is so often thwarted in Rhode Island: The Ocean State too often neglects to employ the tools that can help to level the playing field to attract investment.
Rents aren’t the only thing that bear on whether a developer chooses to add to a state’s housing supply. Tax burdens, bureaucratic rigmarole and market uncertainty also play a role. If Rhode Island could best Massachusetts on those fronts, developers would surely migrate here. But far from using these tools to level the playing field, Rhode Island is widening the gulf, incenting developers to go elsewhere and leaving renters here to pay the rising rents born from the reality that we don’t have enough housing.
Consider what’s happening in Boston and Providence today. Boston’s mayor is proposing a program that would allow developers who convert commercial buildings into apartments a 75% reduction on their property taxes — so much that, in one example, a building now paying nearly $250,000 in taxes each year would see its bill to the city drop to less than $30,000. Meanwhile, Providence’s City Council is bringing a lawsuit so that the city can renege on a tax agreement they already approved with a local developer building workforce housing downtown, increasing rates that had already been ratified by a judge.
More: Warren cut the density of a proposed housing project by 38%. Now the town wants to undo that
Put simply, the two capital cities are sending vastly different messages to builders equipped to erect more housing at a time when market conditions already favor Boston. And that’s a shame because Providence can get a lot of development done when it works cooperatively with developers. The successful and popular Farm Fresh project would not have been built if the state and city had refused to reduce the tax burden on the underlying lots.
None of these projects would have been possible without partnership between the public and private sectors — meaning financial incentives for those willing to invest in the Ocean State. But if the government treats builders as pariahs, the Ocean State will lag. When growing demand isn’t met with growing supply, rents rise for ordinary families.
It’s up to Rhode Island’s leaders to find common ground that works for the greater good.
This article is sponsored by Rhode Island.
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but don’t let its size fool you. The Ocean State packs an impressive amount of personality into its coastline, from thriving LGBTQ+ nightlife and local food favorites to waterfront views, creative neighborhoods, and one of New England’s most vibrant Pride celebrations.
Travelers looking to stay in the heart of the action will find plenty of options, including Aloft Providence Downtown, which places visitors within easy reach of Pride festivities, nightlife, local attractions, and many of the destinations that make Providence Pride weekend so memorable.
If you’re wondering how to make the most of the experience, start with the six Must C’s of Rhode Island.
Courtesy of Rhode Island
Cuisine
Good food is never hard to find here. Start the morning with brunch at Small Format, then grab small bites at Track 15 between events. Satisfy your late-night cravings with buck naked fries at Friskie Fries after the block parties, or grab something more hearty from Pizza Queen. Together, they offer a taste of the variety that defines Rhode Island’s food scene.
Coast
They don’t call it the Ocean State for nothing. Rhode Island’s coastal identity is woven into everything from its waterfront views to its relaxed atmosphere. Spend time along Providence’s RiverWalk, take in the views around India Point Park, or venture toward nearby seaside communities where the Atlantic is never far away. Whether you’re exploring Providence or heading farther afield, the coast remains part of the experience.
Courtesy of Rhode Island
Culture
Providence is filled with independent businesses, local art, and neighborhoods that invite exploration. A stroll down Wickenden Street lets you browse Pride gear at Mister Sister, then grab something more wholesome for mom at Nostalgia Antiques. Many local businesses and community spaces continue to shape the city’s creative identity, while nearby Federal Hill offers another vibrant corner of Providence worth exploring. During your time on Federal Hill, be sure to stop by Heartleaf Books, the only employee-owned, queer/trans-owned, and “seemingly first bookstore ever in Federal Hill.”
Cocktails
When the sun goes down, Rhode Island’s LGBTQ+ nightlife comes alive. Pride weekend block parties spill into the evening as venues like The Eagle, Stable, and The Dark Lady fill with dancers, drag performances, and celebration. You can also stop in at the country’s third-oldest gay bar, Mirabar, or head into The VU Lounge & Bistro that offers lounge seating and a food menu until 10 pm. Whether you’re joining the Friday night festivities, catching Sangria Sunday at Stable, or simply looking for a place to raise a glass with friends, these community gathering spots help keep the energy going long after the daytime events end.
Courtesy of Rhode Island
Community
One of Rhode Island’s greatest strengths is its people. LGBTQ+ organizations, creators, performers, and businesses help shape a welcoming atmosphere throughout the year. Community-driven spaces and voices, including projects like Fruit Loop PVD, highlight the people and stories that make Providence feel connected and inclusive, both during Pride weekend and throughout the year.
Courtesy of Rhode Island
Celebrations
If there is one time when all of these elements come together, it’s Pride. From browsing vendors at PrideFest in the 195 District Park to gathering at dusk as the parade makes its way through the city, Providence Pride weekend transforms the city into one continuous celebration, with music, performances, and community filling the streets.
Rhode Island may be America’s smallest state, but when it comes to food, culture, nightlife, and Pride, it delivers an experience that feels anything but small. Come for one of the C’s, and you’ll probably discover the rest along the way.
Local News
“As the need across our communities continues to grow, this $1 million donation will go a long way in helping us purchase and distribute the nutritious, culturally appropriate food that Rhode Islanders deserve,” the food bank’s CEO says.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce made a $1 million donation to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank ahead of the couple’s wedding at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the nonprofit organization announced.
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank — which acts as the primary food distribution center for a network of 137 member agencies across the state — intends to use the contributions to purchase additional food for local families and to provide further support to its member agencies, the food bank said in a press release.
“We are incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for their extraordinarily generous and unexpected gift,” CEO Melissa Cherney said in the release. “As the need across our communities continues to grow, this $1 million donation will go a long way in helping us purchase and distribute the nutritious, culturally appropriate food that Rhode Islanders deserve.”
The food bank thanked the couple in social media posts Friday, a day before Swift and Kelce’s wedding.
“We were THRILLED to learn of this unexpected gift,” the organization wrote, “which comes at a time when the need for food assistance in our state is at an all-time high.”
The food bank said the gift is particularly valuable during the summer, which typically means slower food donations.
“Gifts like this are a powerful reminder of the good we can do with the support of our community,” Cherney said. “This act of generosity shows that, together, we can meet this moment and truly eliminate hunger in our state.”
The $1 million gift is one of several donations the couple made prior to their wedding. Swift and Kelce donated to other northeast charities, including nine in New York and Helping Harvest, a food bank in Pennsylvania, Variety reported.
Rhode Island Community Food Bank noted other large donations made to charities — Feeding America, one of the largest food banks in the U.S., and Harvesters, a regional food bank serving Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri.
Feeding America received a $2 million donation, while Harvesters were given $1 million, according to social media posts from the organizations thanking the couple.
“I hope their gift inspires others,” Cherney added. “It has certainly inspired us.”
DERRY, N.H. (WJAR) — The six New England states are joining forces to help reduce speeding-related crashes and deaths on highways across the region.
Officials announced the “New England Drive to Save Lives” campaign on Monday morning, saying that they were hoping to help shift drivers’ mindsets and foster community responsibility amongst New Englanders on the roads.
As part of the campaign, officers will conduct increased patrols on the road. In addition, highway safety offices throughout New England will hold community outreach events and put public service announcements on social media.
“Throughout the Drive to Save Lives campaign, you will see additional Rhode Island State Police patrols on our highways and local road,” Rhode Island State Police Lt. Brendan Doyle said. “We’ll be working alongside our partners and police departments up and down Interstate 95, and across the state, with one shared goal- saving lives.”
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The Drive to Save Lives campaign is expected to continue through the end of the month.
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