Infrastructure Bank and Dept. of Housing Award $2.8 Million for Infrastructure Improvements to Five Affordable Housing Projects

Pawtucket, RI – Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, the state’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners, and the Department of Housing announced $2,880,000 for municipal infrastructure improvements that will support the development of affordable housing projects in the communities of Coventry, East Providence, Providence, West Warwick, and Pawtucket.

Speakers at Nov 14th's announcement, held at the future site of the RISE Pawtucket Apartments, included Governor Dan McKee, Pawtucket Mayor Grebien, Representative Cheri Cruz, and Senator Robert Britto, as well as Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank Executive Director William Fazioli, interim Secretary of the RI Department of Housing Dan Connors, and site developer Francisco Cruz Matos. Funding comes from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program, and Housing Infrastructure Grant Awards program, which was included in the FY 2024 State Budget.

“Housing is the key to a stronger economy, and this funding helps spur housing development projects that will create homes for Rhode Island families who need them,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I am grateful to the public and private partners who have supported these programs and our historic investments in Rhode Island's housing."

"Developing housing projects often requires upgrades to municipal infrastructure including site preparation, stormwater management, sidewalks, and wastewater utilities,” said William Fazioli, Executive Director of Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. “That is why we are pleased to award $2.8 million for necessary infrastructure improvements to five affordable housing projects across the state—improvements that will enable these projects to move forward and provide the additional homes and residential units that Rhode Island needs to address our affordable housing crisis.”

“Affordable housing projects require multiple sources of funding to bring them from the drawing board to reality, and that includes funding for basic site infrastructure improvements,” said interim Rhode Island Housing Secretary Daniel Connors. “These $2.8 million in Housing Infrastructure Grant Program awards will bring these five projects closer to reality and to our goal of building more affordable housing across Rhode Island.”

Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien commented, “This $1.2 million state grant for green and stormwater infrastructure improvements will ensure that 258 Pine Street in Pawtucket is ready for the development of RISE Pawtucket Apartments and 177 new residential units. I want to thank Governor McKee, RI Infrastructure Bank, and the RI Department of Housing for their commitment and support for housing and smart transit-oriented development projects like RISE Pawtucket Apartments.”

“Preparing a site for development is one of the first steps in construction, and that means investing in stormwater management systems and other basic site infrastructure,” said Francisco Cruz Matos of RISE Pawtucket Apartments. “This $1.2 million Housing Infrastructure grant will be critical to the construction and completion of our project, which will provide 177 new housing units. We want to thank Governor Dan McKee, the General Assembly, the Infrastructure Bank, and the Department of Housing for this needed funding to support the development of housing.”

Projects receiving funding from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program, Housing Infrastructure Grant Awards program: