Government
Public services and government action
Providence Neighborhood Land Bank created to spur development of affordable housing
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza today announced the creation of the Providence Neighborhood Land Bank, a new program funded by the Providence Housing Trust Fund, that will acquire, hold, and transfer underused vacant land throughout the City with the goal of generating new affordable housing and revitalizing Providence neighborhoods.
All police departments statewide to utilize body-worn cameras, except one
Under the program, which Attorney General Peter Neronha said will be rolling out over the next weeks and months across Rhode Island, state and municipal police departments applied for grant funding to cover the projected cost of a camera and related hardware, software, and storage, and an agency’s significant administrative costs in operating body-worn cameras.
How are electricity rates determined?
Rising costs lead to shutoffs, evictions, and other terrible outcomes for low income and working class Rhode Islanders. To counter this, we need to aggressively move towards renewable energy sources like wind and solar - but can we do more?
Residents push city to enforce resident-first hiring ordinance
The First Source ordinance, which was passed in 1986, guarantees that when the city supplies $25k or more in city loans, subsidies, or tax breaks to a development and the development has more than four employees, the company must hire Providence residents.
Haitian-American elected officials implore Biden Administration to help save Haiti
"We request that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris take another look at the systemic policy of the United States government towards Haiti and its people," said Cranston City Councilmember Aniece Germain.
One of Rhode Island's worst landlords gets a Sunday wake up call
"We have rats. The house up the street [also a Pioneer Investments property] has rats. Their pet chinchilla of eight years was eaten by a rat..."
Activists march on State House to demand end to unsheltered homelessness
Activists are asking Rhode Islanders to call Governor McKee at (401) 222-2080 and ask him why so many individuals and families are sleeping outside and tell him to act to provide roofs over the heads of unsheltered Rhode Islanders.
Classical High School students walk out over transphobic teacher
"I had Miss Bessinger for third period English, she took time out of our class to do a 40 minute rant denouncing [the concept of] white privilege. She said... that Black people's ancestors were basically lazy," said one student to the crowd of over 130 students.
Governor McKee not doing enough about homeless crisis, say advocates
As winter approaches, Rhode Island is in the midst of a homelessness crisis, and Governor McKee has been slow to act say advocates. On Monday, they are holding a protest...
Exclusive: Mayor Elorza interview on Buff Chace sweetheart tax deal
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza disputes that the city gave up $30 million in tax revenue in the deal, and suggests that had the City not settled the case, the cost could have been much higher.