by Council Staff | May 11, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Press Release
Residents are encouraged to attend the May 15th meeting as the City Council considers the final step to enact rent stabilization for Providence
Providence, RI — Today, Providence City Council President Rachel Miller announced that the Council will hold a vote on Friday, May 15th at 6 p.m. to consider overriding Mayor Brett Smiley’s veto of the rent stabilization ordinance, representing a decisive step in the effort to bring stability and predictability to the city’s rental market.
The proposed ordinance, which caps annual rent increases at 4% while maintaining clear pathways for property owners to address legitimate costs, was passed by the City Council following months of public engagement, policy research, and amendments shaped by community feedback. Mayor Smiley vetoed the measure less than a day after its final passage, underscoring his longstanding opposition to regulating the cost of rent.
“Working families are at a crossroads,” said Council President Miller. “If the Council succeeds in overriding Mayor Smiley’s veto, residents will be able to breathe a little easier knowing they won’t face sudden, extreme rent increases. If the override fails, landlords will continue to be allowed unlimited increases that price families out of their homes and neighborhoods. I encourage every resident who has been affected by rising housing costs—or who believes Providence should be a city working people can afford—to show up and be part of this defining moment. I hope my colleagues will join me in rejecting a status quo that is making Providence unlivable for working families. Our neighbors deserve stability and relief.”
Under the City Charter, the Council has 30 days from the date of the veto to override with a two-thirds majority, or 10 votes, giving it until Sunday, May 17th. If successful, the override would immediately enact the ordinance into law.
The override vote follows one of the most extensive public processes undertaken by the City Council in recent years, including listening sessions held across Providence, more than seven hours of public testimony before the Special Committee on Health, Opportunity, Prosperity, and Education (HOPE), and over 1,000 written comments submitted to the City Clerk. Feedback from tenants, property owners, housing advocates, nonprofit developers, and policy experts directly informed a series of amendments that strengthened and clarified the proposal.
Recent polling has reinforced what was heard throughout that process. A poll highlighted in the Boston Globe found that 74% of likely Democratic voters support limiting annual rent increases to 4%, consistent with findings from a 2025 University of Rhode Island poll showing 72% statewide support for rent stabilization.
Sponsors emphasized that rent stabilization is one part of a broader strategy to address Providence’s housing crisis, alongside investments in affordable housing, zoning reforms, and policies to increase housing supply.
The meeting will take place in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall, and residents are encouraged to attend.
by Council Staff | May 7, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Press Release
Providence, RI – Tonight, Majority Leader Pedro J. Espinal (Ward 10) introduced an ordinance that would establish a certified local vendor program and apply a 5% evaluative preference in bid scoring to support Providence-based businesses. By giving local businesses a leg up in the bidding process, sponsors say the ordinance would both attract new businesses and help sustain established ones.
“We hear ‘buy local’ a lot, but hiring local is just as important,” said Majority Leader Espinal. “This ordinance is a great way for the city to support the entrepreneurs and businesses that not only make Providence their home, but help make Providence our home as well.”
The ordinance was referred to the Committee on Ordinances.
Tonight, councilors passed the Green Revolving Fund ordinance for the first time. The ordinance advances the City’s commitment to reducing energy use, lowering emissions, and reinvesting savings from municipal energy improvements back into future sustainability projects.
Buildings are among the largest drivers of energy demand and emissions nationwide: the building sector uses roughly 75% of the electricity generated in the United States, and homes and businesses accounted for 31% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. With energy bills skyrocketing, municipal buildings are modeling the decarbonization actions needed to reduce building emissions and eventually reach net zero. While the savings from these efforts will be reinvested into the fund, the whole city will benefit from the City’s commitment to lower energy use, alternative energy sources, and reduced emissions. The ordinance requires a second vote to become law.
Councilors also voted for the first time on an ordinance that would adopt the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Budget for Program Year 2026-27, and authorize the City to submit its annual CDBG, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grant applications to the U.S. Department of Housing and Human Services. The total CDBG allocation of $5,450,000 will be used for grants for housing, community centers, facility improvements, economic development, neighborhood projects, and more. The ordinance requires a second vote to become law.
Councilors presented several resolutions, including a resolution opposing Brown University’s planned demolitions on Brook Street as well as a resolution requesting that Providence Public School District report to the Ways and Means Committee on how it is addressing the growing crisis of student homelessness in Providence schools. The Brook Street resolution was referred to the Department of Public Works. The student homelessness crisis resolution was passed on the floor.
by Council Staff | May 6, 2026 | Add Council Logo
Filing follows tenant complaints alleging corporate landlord used dynamic pricing software in violation of city law
Providence, RI – Today, at the direction of Providence City Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13), the City of Providence filed its first-ever enforcement action alleging a violation of the citywide ban on rent-setting algorithms. The complaint alleges that Audubon Capital Partners, LLC engaged in the coordination of rental prices through an algorithmic device in violation of Chapter 13, Article X, Section 13-70 of the Providence Code of Ordinances. The complaint, filed in Municipal Court, seeks a $500 per day penalty and comes just one week before the one-year anniversary of the Council’s passage of the algorithm ban.
The enforcement action concerns 95 Lofts, a building in the Jewelry District acquired by the Boston-based private equity real estate firm in January. In March tenants submitted complaints and documentation to members of the Providence City Council, including lease renewal offers showing dramatic rent increases across different lease terms and written communication from property management stating that “lease rates are generated through a dynamic pricing system that evaluates several factors, including market conditions and the number of expected vacancies during a specific timeframe. In some cases, the software may price certain lease terms higher if a larger number of apartments are projected to become available in that particular month.”
“The City Council passed this law to prevent bad corporate behavior and protect residents,” said Council President Rachel Miller. “Corporations cannot be allowed to hide behind software while they squeeze tenants for maximum profits, manipulate the housing market, and drive rents higher in a city where working people are already struggling to stay in their homes. I’m proud that Providence is taking action to enforce the protections this Council put in place.”
Tenant complaints submitted to the Council alleged that, after Audubon Capital Partners acquired 95 Lofts, residents received renewal offers with steep rent increases that depended on lease length. In one case, tenants reported that a standard 12-month renewal would have resulted in a 44% rent increase, while other lease terms carried dramatically different prices. Documentation submitted to the Council also showed online listing prices changing frequently across comparable units.
“Providence renters did exactly what we hope residents will do when they believe their rights are being violated: they spoke up, organized, documented what was happening, and asked their city government to act,” Council President Miller continued. “Today’s filing sends a clear message: If corporate landlords violate Providence law, they should expect consequences.”
The City Council unanimously passed the rent-setting algorithm ban on May 15, 2025, making Providence one of the first cities in the country to prohibit landlords from using software to price-fix and collude in the rental market. The ordinance was introduced in response to growing national concern over companies like RealPage, which have been the subject of federal antitrust litigation alleging that these algorithmic devices allow landlords to coordinate pricing and artificially inflate rents. At the time of passage, the Council warned that rent-setting algorithms could deepen Providence’s affordability crisis. Providence renters have faced some of the steepest rent increases in the country in recent years, with the city repeatedly ranked among the least affordable rental markets in the United States.
by Council Staff | Apr 17, 2026 | Add Council Logo
The historic action delivers long-awaited housing stability and predictability for Providence renters, capping annual rent increases at 4%
Providence, RI – Tonight, the Providence City Council voted to approve the rent stabilization ordinance, marking a historic step forward in addressing the city’s housing crisis and keeping Providence families in their homes.
For the first time in Providence’s history, the City Council has passed legislation to rein in extreme, unexpected rent increases, bringing predictability, fairness, and accountability to a housing market where costs have risen far beyond what residents can afford. In recent years, Providence has been named the least affordable city for renters in the country and the U.S. city with the fastest year-over-year rent growth, even as the national median rent declined. The median rent in Providence is 40% higher today than it was in 2020. Nearly half of Providence renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent, while 26% spend at least half their income on rent.
The ordinance caps annual rent increases at 4%, with thoughtful exemptions and clear ways for property owners to address legitimate costs. According to the ordinance’s sponsors, the proposal reflects a balanced, Providence-specific approach that stabilizes housing for residents while supporting continued investment in the city’s housing stock.
“This City Council has addressed every aspect of the housing affordability crisis, from increasing supply to protecting our aging housing stock, but until tonight we hadn’t taken direct action to provide stability for Providence residents who rent their homes,” said Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13). “Despite the power large corporate landlords wield—the same landlords that have pushed rent up and working families out—despite the pervasive myths that have attempted to create a climate of fear where inaction is better than action, this Council voted to protect this city we love and the diverse residents who call it home.”
The ordinance is targeted toward the segment of the market most responsible for extreme rent increases, while maintaining exemptions for small, local owner-occupied landlords, deed-restricted affordable housing, and new construction. Amendments adopted during the committee process also strengthened support for new development, including a pathway to longer exemptions tied to creating good-paying local jobs.
The policy is designed to give Providence families the ability to plan for their future and remain in their homes, while maintaining a fair and workable system for property owners. It allows landlords to seek additional increases when necessary to cover significant capital improvements, major tax increases, or other legitimate expenses through a complaint-based process overseen by a five-member Residential Rent Regulation Board, which will resolve disputes and ensure the policy is applied fairly.
Tonight’s vote follows one of the most extensive public processes undertaken by the City Council in recent years, including listening sessions in neighborhoods across Providence, more than seven hours of public testimony before the Special Committee on Health, Opportunity, Prosperity, and Education (HOPE), and over 1,000 written comments submitted to the City Clerk. Feedback from tenants, property owners, housing advocates, nonprofit developers, and policy experts directly informed a series of amendments that strengthened and clarified the ordinance.
“From the beginning, we made a commitment to do this the right way,” said Chairman Juan M. Pichardo (Ward 9). “We ran one of the most robust and accessible public processes this Council has ever undertaken—holding listening sessions across the city, reviewing more than 1,000 pieces of testimony, and making sure every voice was heard. That work led to a balanced ordinance that reflects the real experiences of renters, homeowners, and small landlords alike. Our committee is called the HOPE Committee, and that’s exactly what this policy offers—hope that Providence residents can stay in their homes, plan for their future, and remain part of the communities they helped build.”
Recent polling has reinforced what was heard through that public engagement, showing strong support for rent stabilization among Providence residents and across Rhode Island. A recent poll highlighted in the Boston Globe found 74% of likely Democratic voters in favor of limiting annual rent increases to 4 percent. This is consistent with findings from a statewide 2025 University of Rhode Island poll, which showed that 72% of Rhode Islanders support limits on rent increases.
“This vote is about who our city is for,” said Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11). “For too long, rising housing costs have pushed working families out of the neighborhoods they built. Rent stabilization means no more sudden, unaffordable increases that force people out of their homes. I’ve spent my life fighting to bring power back to the people, and I’m proud to cast one of my final votes on the Council for a policy that helps keep Providence a city for everyone, no matter where they’re from or how much money they have.”
Sponsors emphasized that rent stabilization is one part of a broader strategy to address Providence’s housing crisis from multiple angles. In recent years, the Council has invested $55 million in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to support hundreds of deeply affordable homes, updated zoning to allow more housing citywide—including Accessory Dwelling Units—and used tax stabilization agreements to incentivize new development. The Council has also funded home repair and lead-safe programs to preserve existing housing and is prioritizing efforts to convert underutilized commercial space into housing and secure a $25 million state housing bond. Sponsors say these efforts work together with rent stabilization, which provides immediate relief by limiting excessive rent increases and giving residents the stability they need while new housing comes online.
The rent stabilization ordinance will now be transmitted to Mayor Brett Smiley for consideration. The mayor has 10 days to sign or veto the ordinance, or allow it to become law without his signature. If it is vetoed, the Council will have 30 days to override the veto with a two-thirds majority, or 10 votes.
Councilor Sue AnderBois (Ward 3) also introduced an ordinance that would create a $3 million green revolving fund to finance municipal decarbonization projects as part of the city’s ongoing work to achieve carbon neutrality in all city-owned buildings by 2040. The ordinance was referred to the Special Committee on Environment and Resiliency.
“Two years ago, knowing we were undertaking a historic volume of construction and renovation in our municipal buildings, we passed the Carbon Neutral Buildings Act to require all municipally owned buildings to be carbon neutral by 2040,” said Councilor AnderBois, the ordinance’s lead sponsor and Chair of the Special Committee on Environment and Resiliency, at a press conference announcing the fund last week. “The Green Revolving Fund is the next step in implementation—reinvesting the savings from clean energy into additional projects. While the federal government attacks clean energy, Providence will continue to find new ways to save money, reduce pollution, and create good local jobs.”
The next regular City Council meeting will convene on May 7, 2026.
by Council Staff | Apr 10, 2026 | Add Council Logo
Providence, RI – Brown University may soon be advancing plans for a new economics building on Brook Street, between Benevolent and Charlesfield Street. Today, I’m joining neighbors next to the proposed site in raising serious concerns about the future of this historic residential area.
We have seen this pattern before. When the Brook Street dorms were built, many of us worried about the precedent it would set. Today, those concerns are becoming reality, with continued expansion into our residential neighborhoods, often referred to as institutional creep.
At the heart of this issue are four existing homes that Brown is proposing to demolish to make way for this new economics building that, given its scale and massing, will inevitably overwhelm the surrounding homes and fundamentally alter the character of the neighborhood. These homes are part of the fabric and history of the neighborhood. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. We are asking Brown to pursue restoration and adaptive reuse instead of demolition.
This is also about being a good neighbor. If Brown truly loves Providence, it should respect the character, scale and voices of the community that surrounds it.
We remain committed to a constructive dialogue but we are clear in our position: these homes should not be demolished.
John Goncalves
Councilman, Ward 1
Providence City Council
