by Abigail Appel | Oct 7, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1
The Wayland Square Merchants Association (WSMA) along with Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1) and Councilwoman Helen Anthony (Ward 2) and the Wayland Square Neighborhood Association (WSNA) will be hosting Autumn Air in the Square, a special event intended to highlight the many restaurants and shops located in Wayland Square beginning on Friday, October 9, 2020, at 4:00 PM.
“I am thrilled to be partnering with these great groups to showcase our merchants and terrific dining options that are available in Wayland Square,” stated Councilman John Goncalves. “Our local businesses have been hit hard by the global pandemic, and I think this is a great way for us to show our local merchants and restaurants our support. The holiday season is not far off, and this is a great time to shop local and be local. I look forward to seeing our neighbors from all over the City visit Wayland Square this holiday weekend.”
Autumn Air in The Square is a three-day indoor and outdoor event meant to encourage residents from across Providence and the region, to visit the shops and restaurants in Wayland Square, and enjoy the beautiful New England fall weather.
“We are so excited to have the support of the City Council, WSNA, and our fellow merchants in the Square for this event. Wayland Square is almost at full capacity and this weekend will serve as a great opportunity to meet some of the new merchants as well as pop into some of your favorite existing merchants,” stated Katy Berard and Victoria Boulis of the Wayland Square Merchants Association.
The weekend’s events will include open-air dining, extended retail hours, activities for families in Patterson Park, a Cider Tasting at McBrides Pub, music, and pop-up shops. A full list of events and participating merchants and restaurants can be found below.
Katherine Touafek, President of the Wayland Square Neighborhood Association stated, “An event like Autumn Air in the Square is exactly what our neighbors have been asking for, and I truly believe that by shining a light on all the great shops and restaurants in our neighborhood will not only benefit the Wayland Square community but the City as well. I look forward to seeing my neighbors and others from across the City enjoying all that Wayland Square has to offer.”
Councilman Goncalves, the Wayland Square Merchants Association, and the Wayland Square Neighborhood Association hope that Autumn Air in the Square will become a signature event for the neighborhood.
“We are proud to partner with our shop owners in creating this wonderful neighborhood event. Please join us as we look forward to meeting all of our neighbors, new and old, and support the wonderful shops and restaurants of Wayland Square,” shared Denise Hill, board member of the Wayland Square Neighborhood Association.
Complete Schedule of Events and Participating Partners:
Friday, October 9, 2020
• Outdoor Dining: 4 PM – 10 PM
• Extended Retail Hours until 9:30 PM
Saturday, October 10, 2020
• Family activities at Paterson Park: 10 AM – 2:00 PM
• Free Family Photos in Paterson Park: 10 AM – 1 PM
• Wayland Square Passport Raffle: 10 AM – 9 PM
• Outdoor Dining: 10 AM – 10 PM
• Cider Tasting Outside of McBrides Pub: 2 PM – 4 PM
• Outdoor Band: 3 PM – 7 PM
• Sweet Treat Stroll: 6 PM – 9 PM
• Extended Store Hours Until 9:30 PM
Sunday, October 11, 2020
• Outdoor Dining: 10 AM – 2 PM
• Bloom Back Flower Popup: 10 AM – 2 PM
• Discounted Selfcare Treatments and Brunch Options
Participating Restaurants:
McBride’s Pub
Red Stripe
Pasta Beach
Wayland Square Diner
The Salted Slate
Madrid European Bakery
Haruki East
Visit @WAYLANDSQUARERI on Instagram for More Details.
by Abigail Appel | Oct 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-7
Last night, we learned the disturbing news that a 9-year-old girl was briefly abducted in Providence after getting off of her school bus in the Hartford neighborhood.
This shocking occurrence is currently being investigated by Providence Police. The suspect is reported to have been driving a silver Nissan SUV around Grover Street and Merino Street. We encourage anyone with information regarding this incident to call Detective Captain Tim O’Hara at 401-243-6360 or by email at tohara@providenceri.gov.
Our thoughts are with the afflicted family, and we are hopeful that our Police Department’s thorough investigation will provide them the peace and closure they deserve.
Sabina Matos, President
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 15
John J. Igliozzi, Esq., Majority Whip
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 7
by Abigail Appel | Oct 5, 2020 | Council News, Ward-11
On Friday, October 2, 2020, City Council Deputy Majority Leader May Kay Harris was joined by Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia and Councilwoman Carmen Castillo at Lockwood Plaza for a food distribution and census event.
Nearly 400 boxes of food were passed out to residents along with face masks and assistance with completing the 2020 Census.
All of these services are especially needed right now, as communities face economic hardships and the COVID-19 Pandemic, and as the 2020 Census comes to an end. The City Council has worked closely with community organizations, including The Elisha Project, the Rhode Island Census, and the Rhode Island Professional Latino Association to organize these events and pull together resources like food, face masks, and Census volunteers.
Along with Councilwoman Harris and her fellow Councilors, many community partners also pitched in to make this event happen. Stephanie Fortunado of Providence Arts, Culture + Tourism, Dr. Wayne Montague and Lori Richie of Winn Residentials, Property manager of Lockwood Jacklyn Gonzalez, Providence Police Lieutenant Barros and Helene Miller of Partnership for Providence Parks, all lent a helping hand.
The collaboration between these many community leaders and organizations is precisely what the City of Providence needs right now. Despite the troubling circumstances, when we all bring our skills, resources, and compassion to the table, we can make big things happen.
From feeding her community to making sure that every single Rhode Islander is counted in the 2020 Census, Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris remains a dedicated community leader. She continues to make strides in improving the quality of life and access to resources in her beloved neighborhood.
by Abigail Appel | Oct 1, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-2, Ward-3
At tonight’s City Council meeting, Councilor David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) proposed a resolution requesting that the Department of Public Works create an online application process for overnight parking permits in the City of Providence. This resolution has been co-sponsored by Councilor Rachel Miller (Ward 13), Councilwoman Helen Anthony (Ward 2), Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10), Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1), and Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3).
“The Department of Public Works is tasked with providing efficient, cost-efficient and high-quality services to Providence residents. The current overnight parking application process is just not meeting that standard. An online process would be safer, more efficient, and will hopefully increase compliance with overnight parking regulations in our City,” stated Councilor David Salvatore.
Overnight parking permits allow residents to park on selected residential streets overnight. Currently, the Department of Public Works requires applications for these permits to be filed in person. Due to COVID-19, in-person interactions have become an inconvenience and risk for both residents and City personnel.
“Many residents in Ward 13 rely on overnight-parking permits to ensure that they can safely and legally park their car on residential streets. This is a necessary City service for constituents without ample parking at their residence, which is a reality for many city dwellers. However, the process for obtaining a permit has become burdensome within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resolution offers a safer, easier way to obtain a permit,” stated Councilor Rachel Miller.
COVID-19 has prompted many City services to transition to remote access, and many City resources are available online. While the overnight parking permit application is available to download online, the application must be submitted in person at the Traffic Engineering Building (700 Allens Avenue) or at the Municipal Court located at the Public Safety Complex (325 Washington Street).
“Current circumstances have forced us to re-evaluate our old ways of doing business. In many cases, this has helped municipalities find more efficient ways to serve their constituents. I believe that this initiative to move the overnight parking permit application process online will better serve the community and will make the process simpler for the Department of Public Works,” added Councilor David Salvatore.
Upon passage, copies of this resolution will be shared with Mayor Jorge Elorza and the Department of Public Works.
by Abigail Appel | Oct 1, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-11, Ward-12, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
The City Council voted this evening to pass a change to the Code of Ordinances, giving authority to the Providence Redevelopment Agency (PRA) to borrow up to $20-Millon to capitalize the Providence Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund). The Council’s Committee on Ordinances, chaired by Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), moved for full council approval of the amendment to the Code of Ordinances at their meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2020.
“The City Council is making a historic and meaningful commitment to addressing the shortage of affordable housing,” stated Majority Leader Ryan. “The Fund was created by the City Council in 2019, in collaboration with its affordable housing partners, earmarking 10% of all TSA payments to provide the basis for the Fund. The $20 Million is anticipated to make up to 1,500 affordable homes possible in the next three years for Providence residents. The Fund is intended to provide critically needed gap financing to encourage the production, preservation, and protection of affordable housing. I want to thank Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris, my fellow committee members, our affordable housing partners, City finance teams, and Council colleagues past and present for their hard work on this important topic.”
“Affordable housing is a basic human right,” stated Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11). “I have been working on equity in housing for far too long, and this is the first major investment that I have seen made to address the issue in our City. I want to thank my Council colleagues for supporting this measure and their steadfast dedication to ensuring that we do all we can to address this pressing need. During the Fane Tower hearings, many residents spoke up and spoke loudly about the need for affordable housing, and I heard them. As we live through this pandemic, where so many are out of work, and where housing insecurity is coming into full focus, I am beyond proud that this body has acted and can take such a monumental step for our residents.”
The change to the Code of Ordinances approves the Providence Redevelopment Agency (PRA) to seek a bond of up to $20 Million to capitalize the Council’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The Fund, created in 2019, is an important City Council initiative that ensures that developers seeking tax relief are also investing in the City through their Tax Stabilization Agreements (TSAs). These agreements provide a structured tax phase-in for large scale development in the City and include specific clauses whereby the developer must invest into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and meet a host of other obligations. Ten percent of the TSA’s total estimated value must be deposited into The Fund, which is managed by the PRA.
City Council President Sabina Matos stated, “TSAs are an integral part of growing our City and our tax base. Yet, it is imperative that developers also invest in the community. When we created the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, we did so to ensure that our investors were putting skin in the game and that we were creating a dedicated funding stream to create much needed affordable housing units in Providence. By moving forward with this ordinance to allow capitalization of The Fund, we will be able to do just that. I want to thank Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris for her tenacity in shepherding this important legislation through the Council.”
The additional bond funding could allow for nearly 1,500 affordable housing units to be added to the City’s housing stock. The PRA will mandate that all rental units created through this program be rented at 80 percent or less than the area median income (AMI) and no more than 120 percent of the AMI for multi-family homes. This funding is intended to be used as gap dollars to help fulfill the needs of developers and our housing partners, like local Community Development Corporations, to achieve their goal of creating affordable housing units throughout Providence.
Executive Director Jennifer Hawkins of One Neighborhood Builders stated, “Housing stability is the greatest economic challenge our residents face. Now more than ever, we need to ensure families and residents, despite their income, have access to safe, quality housing they can afford. Affordable housing promotes neighborhood stability and enables families and residents to thrive.”
“We are excited to see the City taking such an important step to support the production of much-needed affordable housing in Providence,” said Carol Ventura, Executive Director of RIHousing. “Many funding programs are over-subscribed, leaving developers searching for additional funds to close the gap and move projects forward. This new funding stream will be critical to creating and preserving affordable homes, spurring economic activity and creating jobs.”
This change to the Code of Ordinances will dramatically impact the community and our ability as a City to ensure that affordable housing can be developed and that residents can live and work in Providence without being house burdened.
