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The Executive Office of Housing is committed to creating housing solutions that strengthen communities and foster thriving households, ensuring every Rhode Islander has access to safe, affordable homes.
In this edition of our newsletter, you’ll find quarterly updates, information on recent municipal engagement efforts, and important dates and deadlines for programs that advance our Housing 2030 goals!
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Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing Launches Housing Champions Program to Recognize Communities Leading on Housing
Applications opened this month for Housing Champions, a new voluntary program that recognizes municipalities taking meaningful steps to support housing production and smart community development.
Municipalities that earn the Housing Champion designation will receive preferential access to certain discretionary state funding opportunities, including the Executive Office of Housing’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); the Executive Office of Commerce’s Main Street Rhode Island Streetscape Improvement Fund, Site Readiness Program, and Placemaking Initiative; the Department of Environmental Management’s Local Open Space Grants, Outdoor Recreation Grants, Brownfield Remediation and Economic Development program, and Recreational Trails Program; and the RI Infrastructure Bank’s Community Project Assistance Fund.
Read this press release to learn more.
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McKee Administration Awards $4.8M to Support Neighborhood Revitalization in Pawtucket and Central Falls
Earlier this month, the McKee Administration awarded $4.8 million to the Pawtucket Redevelopment Agency and Central Falls Redevelopment Agency to purchase the former Conant Thread–Coats & Clark Mill Complex District from a private owner.
This multi-million-dollar award from the Housing 2030 Municipal Neighborhood Revitalization Program will allow the two cities to seek a master developer to transform the 25-acre site into a new mixed-use neighborhood. The redevelopment is projected to include at least 1,000 new homes, including no fewer than 200 units of low- and moderate-income housing, along with commercial uses, public open space, and green infrastructure.
Read this press release to learn more.
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McKee Administration Launches New State Dashboard Shows McKee Administration Investments in Housing
In August, Governor Dan McKee and the Executive Office of Housing launched a new dashboard to give Rhode Islanders a clearer look at where state housing investments are supporting development and preservation projects across Rhode Island.
The State Incentivized Housing Development Dashboard provides a municipality-by-municipality view of housing developments that have received funding awards or closed financing through state housing incentive programs since 2021, making it easier for residents, municipal leaders, developers, housing organizations, and policymakers to see where state housing resources are being invested and how those investments are translating into homes.
Click here to view the dashboard.
Read this press release to learn more.
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McKee Administration Awards $7.5M to Expand Homeownership Opportunities Across Rhode Island
In late June, Governor Dan McKee and Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard announced $7.5 million in awards through the first round of the $20 million bond-funded Housing 2030 Entry-Level Homeownership Program at an event held at the future site of Ballou Townhomes in Woonsocket.
The first round of awards will support the production of 172 new homes statewide and, of that total, directly funds 90 homes that will be priced under $400,000 and affordable to households earning at or below 120% Area Median Income (AMI), helping more Rhode Island families access stable, entry-level homeownership opportunities and build long-term financial security.
Read this press release to learn more.
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Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard Joins Partners to Celebrate the Completion of Over 200 New Homes for Rhode Islanders
This quarter, Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard attended three ribbon cuttings celebrating the completion of 219 new homes for Rhode Islanders. The celebrations included Dexter Street Commons, a 150-unit mixed-use, transit-oriented development in Pawtucket’s Conant Thread neighborhood; Fernwood, where eight families celebrated completing their new homes through the USDA Mutual Self-Help Housing Program; and Tandem, the second and final phase of Tempo & Tandem, which added 61 units, bringing the development’s total to 127 units in a mixed-use, mixed-income community in the 195 District.
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In September, the Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing (EOH), in partnership with the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, hosted a half-day Municipal Tools for Housing Showcase, which brought together local leaders and housing stakeholders from across the state to learn about five resources designed to help communities advance housing production and preservation, strengthen local planning capacity, and put local housing goals into action.
The event, which featured perspectives from resource developers, municipal officials, planners, and participants who have used these resources in their communities, reflects EOH's broader commitment to partnership and working alongside Rhode Island's municipalities to help increase housing opportunities and strengthen communities. By pairing statewide resources and expertise with local knowledge and leadership, EOH and its municipal partners are working to create a more coordinated and effective approach to meeting Rhode Island's housing needs
The five resources presented included:
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Housing Forward: A new, free, and optional training and capacity-building program designed to give Rhode Islanders who play a role in shaping housing the information, tools, and resources they need to better understand housing opportunities and support practical housing solutions in their communities.
Learn more: https://housing.ri.gov/housingforward
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Housing Champions: A voluntary incentive program that recognizes municipalities taking meaningful steps to support housing production and smart community development. Municipalities that earn the Housing Champion designation receive preferential access to certain discretionary state funding resources.
Learn more: https://housing.ri.gov/programs/housing-champions
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Housing Fiscal Impact Study: Provides communities with a stronger, evidence-based analysis to use when evaluating housing proposals and planning for future growth to better understand how new housing affects municipal revenues and expenditures. The study demonstrates that, under current conditions, new housing development generally has a positive fiscal impact on municipalities, which increases with more density.
Read the study:
https://housing.ri.gov/data-reports/departmental-reports
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Housing Visualizations Tool Kit: An interactive online resource that allows municipalities, developers, and other stakeholders to explore the housing potential of parcels across Rhode Island. Users can select a parcel and adjust key assumptions to better understand its potential for residential development, providing a visual and data-driven way to explore housing opportunities. The tool also illustrates land use and design principles for integrating new housing into existing communities.
Learn more: https://housing.ri.gov/resources/housing-visualizations
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Municipal Fellows Program: Supports the costs of early-career planning professionals hired by Rhode Island municipalities to help advance local planning, housing, and development priorities. The program, which has closed its first round and will be launching a second through the support of Rhode Island Housing, expands municipal capacity while giving Fellows valuable hands-on experience working directly with communities.
Learn more: https://housing.ri.gov/programs/municipal-fellows-program
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2026 $120M HOUSING BOND WILL SUPPORT MORE HOMES, STRONGER COMMUNITIES, AND THRIVING HOUSEHOLDS! | |
On November 3, Rhode Island voters will consider Question 2: Housing and Community Investment on the 2026 general election ballot.
If approved, Question 2 would authorize up to $120 million in bond funding to increase and preserve affordable and accessible housing statewide, support community revitalization through the redevelopment of existing structures, new construction, property acquisition, and infrastructure improvements, and promote homeownership - with at least $25 million of the $120 million dedicated to increasing the production of homes intended for homeownership.
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Over the summer, the Rhode Island Landlord-Tenant Handbook received a refreshed look! The updated design makes the handbook easier to navigate and more engaging to read, while maintaining the trusted information landlords and tenants rely on to understand their rights and responsibilities under Rhode Island law.
The Executive Office of Housing encourages landlords and tenants to keep the handbook readily available as a resource for understanding their rights and responsibilities. Find the updated handbook in English and Spanish here.
An updated version of the Landlord-Tenant Handbook is in the works and will be available to Rhode Islanders in the coming months! The new edition will retain the refreshed design featured here while incorporating updated content to best serve Rhode Islanders.
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📅 Application Closes October 23, 2026
+1RI ADU Design Competition
+1RI invite architects, designers, builders, contractors, and students to develop ADU design concepts that support Rhode Island's Housing 2030 goals by creating cost-effective housing solutions that can be replicated in communities across the state. The designs will also prioritize accessibility and livability across the lifespan, including features that support older adults, individuals with disabilities, and families seeking flexible housing options that allow them to age in place or remain connected to their communities.
For additional information or to submit an application, please visit https://housing.ri.gov/about-us/featured-initiatives/1-ri-adu-design-competition
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📅 Application Closes November 10, 2026
CDBG PY25 Competitive Funding Round
The State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is intended to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, expanding economic opportunities and creating suitable living environments - primarily for those earning at or below 80% of Area Median Income.
For additional information or to submit an application, please visit https://controller.admin.ri.gov/grants-management/state-rhode-island-grant-funding-opportunities
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📅 Application Closes December 31, 2026
Winter Response Grant
The Winter Response Grant is intended to support new or expanded Seasonal Emergency Shelter and other Flexible Winter Response Projects to help strengthen Rhode Island’s homelessness response system during the winter months.
For additional information or to submit an application, please visit https://controller.admin.ri.gov/grants-management/state-rhode-island-grant-funding-opportunities
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