Tagged: affordable housing

It took seven years and $21 million, but a large affordable housing complex in the west end of Providence is finally ready for occupancy.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee joined with other dignitaries to celebrate the completion with a ribbon cutting.  The apartments are scattered in 23 buildings. Rhode Island Housing director Richard Godfrey says the buildings were in pretty rough shape.

"They were all vacant. Some of them were burned out. All boarded," says Godfrey. "It was a very, very distressed neighborhood."

The dream of owning your own home is out of reach to most Rhode Island Latinos, according to a new report published by the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University. Many struggle just to afford an apartment.

The organization Housingworks RI will receive a $60,000 grant from the National Mortgage Settlement, a state and federal settlement with the country’s five largest mortgage companies over alleged foreclosure practices. The Rhode Island Attorney General's office also distributed a $155,000 grant for Progresso Latino.

Housingworks RI is a coalition dedicated to affordable improving housing opportunities in the state. Executive Director Nellie Gorbea says that the grant will help fund research on RI housing problems.