- State Data Overview
Across Rhode Island, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI). Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions.
KeyFacts47,968Or31%Renter households that are extremely low income$25,290Maximum income for 4-person extremely low income household (state level)-23,302Shortage of rental homes affordable and available for extremely low income renters$43,393Annual household income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home at HUD's Fair Market Rent.55%Percent of extremely low income renter households with severe cost burden - State Level PartnersState Partners
Housing Network of Rhode Island
1070 Main Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Melina Lodge, Executive Director
Katie West, Manager, Homes RI
Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless
1070 Main Street, Suite 304
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Caitlin Frumerie, LCSW, Executive Director
Kristina Contreras Fox, Policy Analyst
Become an NLIHC State Partner
NLIHC’s affiliation with our state coalition partners is central to our advocacy efforts. Although our partners' involvement varies, they are all housing and homeless advocacy organizations engaged at the state and federal level. Many are traditional coalitions with a range of members; others are local organizations that serve more informally as NLIHC's point of contact.
Inquire about becoming a state partner by contacting [email protected]
- Housing Trust FundHTF Implementation Information
NLIHC continues working with leaders in each state and the District of Columbia who will mobilize advocates in support of HTF allocation plans that benefit ELI renters to the greatest extent possible. Please contact the point person coordinating with NLIHC in your state (below) to find out about the public participation process and how you can be involved. Email Tori Bourret with any questions.
Current Year HTF Allocation$3,000,000
HTF State Resources2019
RFP and Scoring for HTF and HOME (PDF)
Draft Annual Action Plan, HTF starting on page 31 (PDF)
2018
Final Annual Action Plan, with HTF discussion pages 33-40 (PDF)
2017
Final Annual Action Plan, with HTF discussion pages 32-39 (PDF)
Draft Annual Action Plan, with HTF discussion pages 28-32 (PDF)
Public participation notice for 2017 Action Plan (PDF)
2016
HUD-Approved HTF Allocation Plan (PDF)
July 29 Version sent to HUD (PDF)
NLIHC Point Person for HTF AdvocacyState Designated Entity:Official Directly Involved with HTF Implementation:Belinda Lill
Eric Alexander
Eric Rollins
Manager of Research & Evaluation
State Entity Webpage
NHTF-specific page
- ResourcesResources
Housing Profiles
State Housing Profile
State Housing Profile: Rhode Island (PDF)
Congressional District Housing Profile
Congressional District Profile: Rhode Island (PDF)
Research and Data
National Housing Preservation Database
The National Housing Preservation Database is an address-level inventory of federally assisted rental housing in the United States.
Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing
Out of Reach documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing. In Rhode Island and Nationwide
The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Rental Homes
The Gap represents data on the affordable housing supply and housing cost burdens at the national, state, and metropolitan levels. In Rhode Island and Nationwide
Other Links - Take Action
- COVID-19 ResourcesCOVID-19 Resources
Rental Assistance
Rhode Island has made $1.5 million in emergency rental assistance available to low-income renters who have been impacted by the COVID-19 emergency and are at immediate risk of homelessness. Those who qualify can receive a grant of up to $5,000 to support past due rent payments and other fees. Requirement information and details are available at www.HousingHelpRI.com or by calling 211. https://tinyurl.com/ya6836kb
State and Local News
Housing advocates in Rhode Island urged state legislators to include affordable housing in their recovery plans. Advocates also urged Governor Gina Raimondo to protect the dedicated revenue stream to produce affordable housing that she pledged to include in her budget earlier this year.
Governor Gina Raimondo announced that her administration is seeking permission to use $5.1 million in federal Medicaid funds to pay for food, rent, and mobile phone numbers for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.
An interactive model from researchers at Boston University School of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania, and UCLA projects that at any given point in time, nearly 800 Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness will require emergency COVID-19 accommodations.
