Other Providence Homeownership Programs
This study covers the City of Providence CDBG funded Home Repair Program for Homeowners, the LEAD Safe Providence Program (LSPP), City of Providence Homestead Exemption -Owner-Occupied Property Tax Reduction and Elderly Exemptions by neighborhood.
Students Marlene Almanzar Garcia and Jasmine Powell did the research and assessment of these homeownership programs. They note that Black homeownership rates today in the city continue to be low [1]. It is important to analyze Black homeownership in Providence paying close attention to the historical context because policies of displacement and discrimination created the city that we see today. This continues to have economic, social, and health impacts for Black residents today. Although the city has acknowledged this with the creation of various programs, it is important to also evaluate these programs in light of this context to ensure that Black residents are being adequately prioritized so that past wrongs are rectified and true equity can be achieved.
[1] Fenton, Josh. 2022. “Black Homeownership in RI Is As Low As It Was in the 1960s.” GoLocalProv. GoLocalProv. 2022. https://www.golocalprov.com/business/black-homeownership-in-ri-is-as-low-as-it-was-in-the-1960s