The Broad Street Homes project also includes 17 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments in the rehabilitated former police station at 509-511 Broad Street, Central Falls.

The Broad Street Homes project also includes 17 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments
in the rehabilitated former police station at 509-511 Broad Street, Central Falls.

Gov. Dan McKee’s administration Thursday awarded $101 million to 23 housing projects across the state while debate about the best ways to create homes and combat the affordability crisis heats up at the State House.

The new project funding was approved by the Rhode Island Housing Board of Directors and, combined with other pots of financing, is expected to create or maintain 1,481 housing units in total. Most of the $101 million comes from the federal government and is part of the $250 million in American Rescue Plan funds approved for a variety of housing-related uses.

“It is no secret Rhode Island has building challenges at multiple levels, and for Rhode Island to be an attractive place to live and work, to raise a family, we must address the availability of quality housing,” McKee told the Rhode Island Housing Board before the votes. “That means everything from providing supports for those experiencing homelessness, increasing affordable housing, to ensuring we build more workforce housing for the working class.”

State Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor Thursday cautioned that allocating money and seeing it spent are two different things. The 23 projects, all in various stages of development, will need additional financing, permitting and other steps before they can be built.

What will the money be used for?

Of the $250 million approved for housing programs last year, $155 million is for production and $115 million of that has been allocated so far by Rhode Island Housing, according to a McKee news release.

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What projects will get funding?

The projects approved for funding include Broad Street Homes in Central Falls,; The Avenue in Providence.

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