Public Housing Capital Fund will help 24 local housing authorities improve public housing and expand affordable housing opportunities for more RIers

WASHINGTON DC – In an effort to make quality, affordable housing a reality for more Rhode Islanders, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that twenty-four Rhode Island cities and towns will receive a total of $26,997,164 in federal funding through the Public Housing Capital Fund.  Senator Reed led efforts at the federal level to make this money available through the fiscal year 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act (also known as the Omnibus spending bill), which was signed into law by President Biden on March 15, 2022.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), this fiscal year 2022 Public Housing Capital Fund money will help local communities preserve, develop, finance, and modernize public housing.

“Everyone deserves a roof over their head and a safe and secure place to call home.  This new federal funding will improve housing conditions for vulnerable families and prevent more people from being forced out onto the streets.  It will help preserve public housing units, a critical source of affordable housing.  These federal funds will ensure that local housing agencies can improve their buildings, preserve affordable housing, and help us build stronger communities,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of both the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, which authorizes the program, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD), which appropriates money for it.  “This funding will be put to work making needed repairs, maintaining public assets, and ensuring quality, affordable housing is available.  It means local housing authorities can address their most pressing needs and hire additional maintenance staff and contractors to do repairs and renovation projects.”

The Public Housing Capital Fund Program provides local housing authorities with funding for the modernization of public housing and ongoing maintenance needs.  Local agencies can use the funding for a broad array of improvements that may include redesigning, reconstructing, and reconfiguring public housing sites and buildings; addressing safety code compliance needs; replacing obsolete utility systems and dwelling equipment; and investing in resident programs that help improve economic empowerment.

Through his leadership on the THUD subcommittee, Senator Reed helped include $3.2 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund in the omnibus appropriations law.  This is a $435 million increase over last year and the highest ever annual funding for the program.  Overall, the omnibus provides a total of $8.45 billion for public housing nationwide, including both capital investments and operating costs.

According to HUD, Rhode Island has approximately 9,000 public housing units across the state.

Public Housing Agencies in the following cities and towns will receive funding:

  • Bristol: $457,335
  • Burrillville: $234,004
  • Central Falls: $905,874
  • Coventry: $445,541
  • Cranston: $1,526,553
  • Cumberland: $352,793
  • East Greenwich: $87,870
  • East Providence: $1,151,082
  • Jamestown: $69,349
  • Johnston: $359,404
  • Lincoln: $685,823
  • Providence: $8,316,317
  • Pawtucket: $2,410,410
  • Narragansett: $29,645
  • Newport: $2,451,978
  • North Providence: $294,980
  • Smithfield: $143,603
  • South Kingstown: $274,384
  • Tiverton: $111,844.00
  • Warren: $324,400
  • Warwick: $1,261,355.00
  • Westerly: $319,392
  • West Warwick: $614,986
  • Woonsocket: $4,168,242

TOTAL: $26,997,164