Published April 14, 2024
Misdirected concerns about housing reforms
Giving up control is a relatable experience that often results in concern and uncertainty.
However, in Patrick Anderson’s recent article “RI housing push generates backlash” (News, April 4), certain municipal leaders’ concerns about the thoughtful reforms that House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has championed are misguided and risk creating new obstacles for solving our state’s housing crisis.
Removing tedious steps to development when possible and tightening up review timelines will accelerate development, reduce costs, and create a process that is better-suited to solving our statewide housing problem.
Let’s be honest: household compositions have changed dramatically since 1990. The hard truth is that cities and towns need to increase their housing supply just to maintain their existing populations.
As a state we must build upon the foundation that Speaker Shekarchi has laid out in his housing package and stand tall against misdirected fear of development or misguided biases of affordable housing.
Jennifer Hawkins, Smithfield
The writer is president and CEO of ONE Neighborhood Builders, one of the state’s leading community development corporations and nonprofit housing developers.
View the piece on the Providence Journal site, here.
