To the Editor,

As a longtime member of the Rhode Island Housing Board of Commissioners, I am so excited to see that housing has become a top priority on the federal, state, and local levels. At the state level, the General Assembly, led by Speaker Shekarchi and Governor McKee, has made significant investments in housing development and housing policies over the past few years in order to address the housing crisis in Rhode Island. In November, Rhode Island residents will be able to vote on a housing bond of $120 million. These funds would increase the availability of affordable housing, with $80 million designated for low- and moderate-income housing, and millions for housing infrastructure and homeownership programs. To continue to progress in addressing our housing shortage across the state, I urge the residents of our state to vote for this bond.

We need all types of housing here in Rhode Island — single family homes, condos, townhouses, affordable housing units, public housing, senior housing, rental units, multi-family homes, apartment buildings, and more. For far too long there has been a lack of housing production in our state, and it will take years of investments to get us out of this crisis. In order to really tackle this problem, we need all stakeholders to do their part. 

The Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) movement has stopped housing development for far too long. We need municipal leaders to pushback on NIMBY and support good projects that will help individuals and families find homes in their communities. Cities and towns have a major role to play in our housing supply. In many cases, local zoning boards and councils have the authority to approve or reject new housing projects.

In Warwick, housing has been a priority. We’re building well over 1,000 new housing units over the next few years. We sold closed elementary schools to housing developers and encouraged development around the airport. The City’s administration, planning, and zoning boards, and the city council have all encouraged housing development in Warwick and have supported several housing initiatives that will benefit the city. 

Everyone has the right to a safe, healthy home. Warwick can serve as a great example of what can be done across the state to help build more housing options. Let’s be proactive, be creative, and use all the resources available to us, including supporting the housing bond in November, to help everyone find a home. 

Steve McAllister
Warwick City Council President