by Council Staff | Jul 16, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Housing, Jill Davidson, Juan M. Pichardo, Juan Pichardo, Press Release, Rachel Miller
Providence, RI – At tonight’s City Council meeting, councilors passed several major ordinances before recessing for the summer. The next regular City Council meeting will convene on September 17, 2026.
The first ordinance, the Providence 8 Law Qualifications, governs how Providence grants the 8% tax treatment within the city. The 8 Law ordinance will stop the misuse of the low-income tax treatment by wealthy developers who do not substantively build the affordable housing that the state’s 8 Law was meant for. The state’s 8 Law designates the tax treatment for low-income housing, but does not give a definition of low-income, nor specify affordability levels, nor address whether it should be applied to the units themselves or the entirety of the building. This ambiguity creates space for municipalities to administer the program as they deem appropriate and beneficial.
In April 2024, the City Council passed by a 13-2 vote an 8 Law ordinance that would have applied the low-income tax treatment only to the restricted units themselves. The ordinance was then vetoed by Mayor Brett Smiley. Rather than just applying to individual units, the new version passed for the second and final time tonight sets affordability thresholds that work with other low-income housing programs. After taking into consideration feedback from affordable housing developers, the sponsors created an ordinance that will fulfill the intended purpose of the state 8 Law while aligning eligibility with the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and other affordability programs, together ensuring that the tax treatment is only used for properties with meaningful low-income housing.
“After years of work, tonight we put into law that a tax treatment intended for low-income housing must actually be used for low-income housing,” said Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13). “Wealthy developers have been taking advantage of the City’s most generous tax treatment without providing units affordable to low-income residents. Take 68 Dorrance, for example: a 44-unit market-rate building where only 9 units are income-restricted, and none are restricted for low-income households. Tonight, the Council said clearly: that is not what 8 Law is for. This ordinance protects affordable housing and city revenue by making sure luxury developers pay their fair share.”
Passage of this ordinance is considered to be a major legislative success for the majority of the City Council that has worked on 8 Law reform for the entirety of this term. Besides legislating to end the abuse of the low-income tax treatment, the City Council has pursued a judicial route to properly applying 8 Law. The Council currently has a case before the Rhode Island Supreme Court regarding Buff Chase’s firm Cornish Associates, who have a deal to receive the low-income tax treatment on10 buildings, including commercial portions, without meaningful affordability restrictions.
Councilors also passed for a second and final time an ordinance modernizing procurement procedures for the Providence Public School District (PPSD).
The ordinance, introduced by Councilor Jill S. Davidson (Ward 2), will establish a tiered procurement framework for PPSD following the district’s return to local control. Currently, purchases above $10,000 for supplies and $20,000 for construction are required to go before the Board of Contract and Supply (BOCS). Under the new system, routine purchases, which constitute the majority of procurement activity, would be handled by the schools themselves, and only multi-year, sole-source, or $500K+ contracts would be subject to City review.
“Sometimes multiple levels of review are essential to ensure good governance and financial oversight, but for most routine purchases it just isn’t a good use of taxpayer dollars or city time to have so many levels of red tape,” said Councilor Davidson. “The City is committed to setting our schools up for success this fall, and making sure they get the supplies they need in a timely fashion is a great start.”
The ordinance came via agreement between Councilor Davidson, Mayor Smiley, and School Board President Ty’Relle Stephens, announced in June.
Councilors also passed for the second and final time the BUILD Act, which will eliminate taxation during the construction period of qualifying affordable housing development, in a move that sponsors say will reduce a barrier to increasing the supply of affordable housing in Providence.
Currently, 8 Law only goes into effect upon the occupancy of rental units since the tax treatment is determined by rental income. In between the start of construction and occupancy, properties are taxed at the regular rate.
The BUILD Act will change that by providing a two-year tax stabilization period for eligible affordable development projects before tenants move in and are taxed at 8% of scheduled rental income. By removing the tax burden from the start, the BUILD Act will clear a difficult barrier to the construction of more affordable housing, especially the deeply affordable housing needed by the lowest income households.
Finally, councilors granted second and final passage to an ordinance on deed protections. The ordinance creates a de facto fraud alert system that will notify enrolled property owners whenever a document affecting their deed or title is submitted for recording.
“Protecting Providence homeowners from the devastating impact of home deed fraud has been a personal mission of mine since my time in the State Senate,” said City Council President Pro Tempore and lead ordinance sponsor Juan M. Pichardo (Ward 9). “This ordinance establishes a crucial line of defense, ensuring homeowners are no longer left in the dark about unauthorized changes to their property records that could impact their most important lifetime asset. We are delivering peace of mind and proactive security directly to our neighborhoods.”
In June 2026, Governor Dan McKee signed House Bill 7551aa and Senate Bill 2715A into law, establishing real estate title fraud as a criminal offence and allowing municipalities to refuse to record suspicious documents from unauthorized submitters. Providence’s ordinance will become effective a year ahead of the state law.
The ordinances will now be transmitted to Mayor Smiley for his signature.
by Council Staff | Jul 2, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Housing, Jill Davidson, Miguel Sanchez, Press Release, Shelley Peterson
Providence, RI – At tonight’s city council meeting, councilors unanimously passed juvenile hearing board reforms that will fundamentally transform how the justice system treats young people by creating a clearer, fairer path to diversion for Providence youth.
The Juvenile Hearing Board (JHB), Providence’s community-based alternative to Family Court for eligible young people, connects youth with accountability, support services, and non-carceral responses to non-violent crimes. Instead of pushing children unnecessarily into the traditional court system, the JHB provides real opportunities to make amends, learn from mistakes, and move forward.
“Tonight’s vote answered a fundamental question for city government: what do we owe our children?” said Councilor Miguel Sanchez (Ward 6). “We owe them fairness, opportunity, consistency, forgiveness, and help. Every young person deserves a real chance to get on the right path—not to be pushed unnecessarily into the endless cycle known as the school-to-prison pipeline. The Juvenile Hearing Board can change a kid’s life, and under this ordinance, so many more Providence youth will have access to that chance, regardless of timing, luck, or which officer happens to be on duty.”
Under the current system, when an eligible young person is arrested, referral to the Juvenile Hearing Board is entirely at the discretion of the detective on duty. Over the course of three years, officers only referred 108 of the 508 young people eligible for the JHB to the Board. Additionally, not a single referral occurred during the evening shift, suggesting a child’s access to diversion was based not on the nature of their actions, but on circumstantial factors outside the child’s control. The new reforms will ensure fuller and more appropriate use of the JHB by making referrals automatic for eligible youth arrested for most first or second nonviolent offenses.
“Investment in schools, renovation of our parks, and reform of the Juvenile Hearing Board are all a part of the same system that wants to give our kids happy, healthy, safe childhoods while also setting them up for successful adulthoods,” said Luisa Sarante, the Juvenile Hearing Board Coordinator. “The JHB is there to make sure that setbacks don’t result in ruined childhoods or adulthoods that fail before they’ve even begun. These reforms mean more second chances, more opportunities to grow and learn from mistakes, and a more compassionate and socially responsible Providence.”
The ordinance will now be transmitted to Mayor Brett Smiley for his signature and will go into effect in 90 days.
Councilors also considered for the first time both an ordinance that would reduce exploitation of 8 Law in Providence and an ordinance that would remove a cost barrier to affordable housing development and construction in Providence.
The first ordinance, the Providence 8 Law Qualifications, establishes local rules for how Providence grants the 8% tax treatment within the city. According to sponsors, the 8 Law ordinance would end misuse of a low-income tax treatment by wealthy developers, who often use it for market rate or luxury properties.
In April 2024, the City Council passed by a 13-2 vote an 8 Law ordinance that would have applied the low-income tax treatment only to the restricted units themselves. The ordinance was then vetoed by Mayor Brett Smiley. Rather than just applying to individual units, the new version considered tonight sets affordability thresholds that work with other low-income housing programs. Working closely with affordable housing developers, the sponsors put forth an ordinance that aligns eligibility with the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and other affordability programs, while ensuring that tax treatment is only used for properties with meaningful low-income housing.
Councilors also considered the BUILD Act, which would eliminate taxation during the construction period of affordable housing development, in a move that sponsors say will reduce a barrier to increasing the supply of affordable housing in Providence.
Currently, 8 Law only goes into effect upon the occupancy of rental units since the tax treatment is determined by rental income. In between the start of construction and occupancy, properties are taxed at the regular rate.
The BUILD Act will change that by providing a two-year tax stabilization period for eligible affordable development projects before tenants move in and are taxed at 8% of scheduled rental income. By removing the tax burden from the start, the BUILD Act would clear a difficult barrier to the construction of more affordable housing, especially the deeply affordable housing needed by the lowest income households.
Both the 8 Law ordinance and the BUILD Act require a second passage before becoming law.
Last week, the Working Group on Providence City Council’s Role in PPSD Governance concluded its work with an agreement among city leaders to advance an ordinance modernizing procurement procedures for the Providence Public School District (PPSD).
The ordinance, which Councilor Jill S. Davidson (Ward 2) introduced at tonight’s meeting, would establish a tiered procurement framework for PPSD following the district’s return to local control. Currently, purchases above $10,000 for supplies and $20,000 for construction are required to go before the Board of Contract and Supply (BOCS). Under the new system, routine purchases, which constitute the vast majority of procurement activity, would be handled by the schools themselves, and only multi-year, sole-source, or $500K+ contracts would be subject to City review.
Councilors voted in favor of the ordinance for the first time this evening. Per Sec. 1007 (c) of the Providence Home Rule Charter, this ordinance requires a two-thirds vote to become law. A public hearing will be held on the proposal on July 13th at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber before it returns to the full City Council for a final vote.
Finally, councilors passed a resolution to change the name of the street that is home to Rhode Island’s School for the Deaf from Corliss Park to Jeanie Lippitt Circle. The request for the name change, which honors Lippitt’s role in inspiring advocacy for Deaf and hard-of-hearing education, came from students at the school, whose thorough research and presentation to Councilwoman Shelley Peterson (Ward 14) and other local leaders led to the name change.
“I’m so proud of these students,” said Councilwoman Peterson. “They recognized a problem – that their school’s address was too often confused with nearby Corliss Park – and came up with a solution that was both practical and meaningful.”
The next regular City Council meeting will convene on July 16, 2026.
by Council Staff | Jun 11, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Housing, Mary Kay Harris, Press Release, Rachel Miller
Committee on Ways and Means passes 8 Law ordinance and the BUILD Act
Providence, RI – Tonight, the Committee on Ways and Means unanimously recommended two ordinances to the full council addressing housing and fair taxation.
The first, Providence 8 Law Qualifications, establishes local rules for how Providence grants the 8% tax treatment within the city. According to sponsors, the 8 Law ordinance would end misuse of a low-income tax treatment by wealthy developers, who use it for largely market rate or luxury properties.
Per state law, low-income housing may receive a special tax rate, with taxes calculated at 8% of their gross scheduled rental income. Because the law lacks clear eligibility standards, that benefit has been applied more broadly than intended, including to luxury apartment buildings with only a limited number of affordable units, and even to commercial portions of mixed-use developments. The Providence 8 Law ordinance would close these loopholes by defining exactly what properties are eligible for the 8% tax rate, ensuring that the low-income tax treatment is actually used for low-income and affordable housing.
“Providence is in a crushing housing crisis, and every tool we use to support affordable housing should actually benefit low-income residents,” said Council President and Act Sponsor Rachel Miller (Ward 13). “This ordinance makes clear that the 8% tax treatment is for low-income housing, not a giveaway for ultrawealthy developers to do with as they please. After the mayor vetoed this effort last year, the Council listened to feedback from the tax assessor, affordable housing partners, and community stakeholders. This reintroduced version reduces administrative burden, aligns eligibility with other low-income housing and taxation standards, and protects existing affordable housing that relies on this tax treatment. I’m grateful to Chair Pichardo and the members of the HOPE committee for advancing a fair, practical ordinance that will help ensure public dollars are used for their intended purpose: keeping Providence affordable for the people who live here.”
In April 2024, the City Council passed by a 13-2 vote an 8 Law ordinance that would have applied the low-income tax treatment only to the restricted units themselves. The ordinance was then vetoed by Mayor Brett Smiley. Rather than just applying to individual units, the new version heard this evening sets affordability thresholds that align with other low-income housing programs. Working closely with affordable housing developers, the sponsors put forth an ordinance that aligns eligibility with the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
Additionally, existing properties will continue to be eligible as part of a clause that preserves eligibility for property where either:
- at least 20% of residential units are restricted to households earning 80% or less of the area medium income (AMI) or
- at least 40% of residential units are restricted to households earning 120% AMI or less.
The second, the BUILD Act, would eliminate taxation during the construction period of affordable housing development, in a move that sponsors say will reduce one barrier to affordable housing development.
Currently, 8 Law only goes into effect upon occupancy of the rental units, since the tax treatment is determined by rental income. In between the start of construction and occupancy, properties are taxed at the regular rate. This is especially problematic when unexpected delays arise, forcing developers truly committed to building affordable housing units to face tax bills they may not be able to afford.
The BUILD Act will change that by providing a two-year tax stabilization period for eligible affordable development projects before tenants move in and they are taxed at 8% of scheduled rental income. By removing the tax burden from the start, the BUILD Act would clear a difficult barrier to the construction of more affordable housing, especially the deeply affordable housing needed by the lowest income households.
“These laws work together to make sure 8 Law in this city is fair to all,” said Councilwoman and Act sponsor Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11). “No more giving money away to developers and landlords who don’t act in good faith. Instead, we’re going to help legitimate affordable housing developers make their projects possible. Appropriate 8 Law taxation is finally coming to Providence.”
Alongside these efforts to build a more just housing and taxation landscape in the City of Providence, the Council has taken a host of actions to address the housing crisis, including working to increase the supply of affordable housing by allocating tens of millions of dollars in new funding for the Providence Housing Trust Fund, prioritizing inclusionary zoning policies in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, and passing rent stabilization which was then vetoed by Mayor Smiley. The Council also created a requirement for the Housing Trust Fund to be used strictly for low- and moderate-income housing (below 80% AMI). To learn more about the City Council’s work to combat the housing crisis, visit the Housing Hub.
The BUILD Act and 8 Law ordinances will be considered for the first time by the full council at the June 18th City Council meeting on the third floor of City Hall.
by Council Staff | May 22, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Housing, Justin Roias, Press Release
Providence, RI —Tenant unions are organizations of tenants that come together to advocate for themselves and their neighbors. Our neighbors at the Etta Apartments in the North End have come together to establish the Etta Apartments Tenant Union (EATU). These tenants have united to fight for better living conditions.
Etta Apartment residents are under the Section 8 program, meaning that their living situations are subsidized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This apartment complex in particular works with elderly residents of our community. In order to form the union, over 70% of them signed cards saying that they want to organize as a group and then negotiate with the landlord for improvements!
EATU has been dealing with all sorts of issues for years, including, but not limited to:
- Lack of maintenance and update standards
- Unjust towing of tenants’ vehicles
- Over the top fees for AC usage
- Absentee management
- No accountability for the owner or property manager
- Disrespect
As a long-time Providence resident and city councilor, I fully support the tenants in their fight for fair treatment. Why is it that elderly folks living in subsidized housing should ever have to deal with questions of heat, cost, respect, or dignity? Unfortunately, groups like Providence Realty Investment (the owners of the building) and Wingate (the property management company) reap in millions of dollars in tax incentives and federal dollars only to ignore our most vulnerable communities. While Providence Realty Investment boasts a portfolio of 19 different subsidized housing complexes in RI and MA, and while the company’s owners live in multi-million dollar mansions, they leave our elders in a precarious position.
Providence Realty Investment now has the opportunity to do the right thing: sit down with the tenants and negotiate a fair lease. Don’t retaliate against these tenants for using their federal right to organize (remember, retaliation is against the law). Respect their wishes. Treat your tenants the way you should have from the start. If you do, there’s an incredible opportunity ahead to build a future for these tenants, a future where they are fully respected and where their needs are listened to and met.
I have the back of every single tenant organizing in this building, and I won’t let greedy landlords come in and take public dollars to violate your federal right to organize. It’s time for every tenant in this city to have a voice by organizing into a tenant union, and I can’t wait to see what EATU is able to achieve as it grows and negotiates with the landlord.
by Council Staff | May 15, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Housing, Press Release, Rachel Miller
Council President Miller Issues Statement Following Rent Stabilization Veto Override Vote
Providence, RI — Following tonight’s vote on the rent stabilization veto override, Council President Rachel Miller released the following statement:
I’m profoundly disappointed that Mayor Smiley and a small minority of the City Council chose to side with developers and corporate landlords over Providence renters. With nine out of fifteen city councilors defying big-money special interests to support rent stabilization, it’s clear the grip the real estate lobby has over City Hall is slipping. But tonight, that grip was still strong enough to block much-needed protections for working families. Until the next effort succeeds, the unfortunate reality remains: in Providence, it is still legal for a landlord to raise rent by unlimited amounts, for any reason.
Industry wants us to believe the sky will fall if there’s reform. But for working families, the sky is already falling, as concentrated real estate power turns Providence into a city so few can afford.
In the 1930s, business groups warned that the minimum wage, the weekend, and child labor laws would destroy the free market. In the 1960s and 1970s, car manufacturers warned that seatbelt requirements and clean air rules would destroy the auto industry. After the 2008 financial crisis, Wall Street warned that basic banking regulations would destroy the economy. And in 2026, the real estate industry cries that basic tenant protections will kill development. But I see businesses still open, streets full of cars, and banks making money. And I see no reason to let the same tired industry panic stand between working people and the basic protections they deserve.
Like those reforms, rent stabilization is a modest guardrail to keep working people from being crushed by an unchecked market. And like those reforms, there will come a time when basic tenant protections are common, obvious, and accepted.
My hope is that this effort to keep Providence families in their homes has changed the conversation. I hope it allowed working people to see themselves not just as people affected by the housing crisis, but as people with the power to change it. We landed one vote short of changing the power dynamic between landlords and tenants in the city of Providence. That is painful proof that victory is within reach.
Developers alone will never save working people from the housing crisis. Lobbyists will not build an affordable Providence. That will take relentless community organizing, sustained public pressure, and political courage from city leaders.
Talk to your neighbors. Organize in your community. Make your voice heard in the halls of government. The fight for an affordable Providence is only just beginning.
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La Presidenta del Concejo Municipal Miller Emite una Declaración Tras la Votación para Anular el Veto a la Estabilización de la Renta
Providence, RI — Tras la votación de esta noche sobre la anulación del veto a la estabilización de la renta, la Presidenta del Concejo Rachel Miller emitió la siguiente declaración:
Me siento profundamente decepcionada de que el alcalde Smiley y una minoría del Concejo Municipal hayan optado por ponerse del lado de los desarrolladores inmobiliarios y los propietarios corporativos en lugar de los inquilinos de Providence. Con nueve de los quince concejales desafiando a los intereses especiales adinerados para apoyar la estabilización de la renta, resulta evidente que el control que ejerce el grupo de presión inmobiliario sobre el Ayuntamiento se debilita. Sin embargo, esta noche, ese control fue lo suficientemente fuerte como para bloquear unas protecciones sumamente necesarias para las familias trabajadoras. Hasta que el próximo intento tenga éxito, la lamentable realidad persiste: en Providence, sigue siendo legal que un propietario aumente la renta en cantidades ilimitadas y por cualquier motivo.
La industria quiere hacernos creer que el cielo caerá si hay reformas. Pero para las familias trabajadoras, el cielo ya se les está cayendo, ya que el poder inmobiliario concentrado convierte a Providence en una ciudad inasequible para la mayoría.
En la década de 1930, los grupos empresariales advirtieron que el salario mínimo, el fin de semana y las leyes sobre el trabajo infantil acabarían con el libre mercado. En las décadas de 1960 y 1970, los fabricantes de automóviles advirtieron que los requisitos sobre los cinturones de seguridad y las normas de calidad del aire acabarían con la industria automotriz. Tras la crisis financiera de 2008, Wall Street advirtió que las regulaciones bancarias básicas acabarían con la economía. Y en 2026, el sector inmobiliario clama que las protecciones básicas para los inquilinos acabarán con el desarrollo. Pero yo veo negocios que siguen abiertos, calles repletas de automóviles y bancos que siguen generando ganancias. Y no veo ninguna razón para permitir que el mismo pánico trillado de la industria se interponga entre la gente trabajadora y las protecciones básicas que merecen.
Tal como esas reformas, la estabilización de la renta es una modesta medida de protección para evitar que la gente trabajadora sea aplastada por un mercado sin control. Y al igual que esas reformas, llegará un momento en que las protecciones básicas para los inquilinos sean comunes, obvias y aceptadas.
Mi esperanza es que este esfuerzo por mantener a las familias de Providence en sus hogares haya cambiado la conversación. Espero que haya permitido a los trabajadores verse a sí mismos no solo como personas afectadas por la crisis de la vivienda, sino como personas con el poder de cambiarla. Nos quedamos a un solo voto de cambiar la dinámica de poder entre propietarios e inquilinos en la ciudad de Providence. Esa es una prueba dolorosa de que la victoria está a nuestro alcance.
Los desarrolladores inmobiliarios por sí solos nunca salvarán a la gente trabajadora de la crisis de la vivienda. Los grupos de presión no construirán un Providence asequible. Eso exigirá organización comunitaria incansable, presión pública sostenida y valentía política por parte de los líderes municipales.
Hable con sus vecinos. Organice en su comunidad. Haga oír su voz en las salas del gobierno. La lucha por un Providence asequible apenas comienza.
by Council Staff | May 6, 2026 | Add Council Logo, Council News, Housing, Press Release, Rachel Miller
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.
