Innovative Social Services Partnership with Crossroads, Family Service of RI, and Foster Forward Increases Impact on Families
East Providence, RI–One Neighborhood Builders (ONB), one of the state’s leading nonprofit affordable housing and community development organizations, held a groundbreaking today to celebrate the commencement of construction on phase one of its Center City Apartments (CCA) affordable housing development, the organization’s largest to date. CCA will transform a vacant, three-acre blighted parcel on Taunton Avenue into 144 affordable apartments.
“Today’s celebration is the culmination of years of perseverance and innovative collaboration with our partners to advance critically needed affordable housing in the city of East Providence,” said Peter Chapman, President & CEO of One Neighborhood Builders. “CCA is reflective of our intention to continue advancing developments of scale throughout the state that provide affordable housing to a range of families. Projects like this do not come together easily and we are thankful to all of our partners who helped make today possible. Today, we celebrate, and tomorrow we get back to work to secure funding for phase 2 of CCA and the other critically needed developments in our pipeline.”
Nonprofit partners, elected and appointed officials, community members, and housing leaders were in attendance to mark the occasion.
“Housing is everything — it’s the foundation that shapes our health, our relationships, our work, and our future. Yet each of us experiences a different piece of the housing crisis, which is why real progress demands that we see the whole picture and work together,” said Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard. “Projects like Center City Apartments demonstrate what’s possible when partners bring their perspectives, expertise, and commitment to the table. By combining our strengths, we create meaningful, lasting change for Rhode Islanders and move our entire housing system forward.”
“Today’s ceremony celebrates an incredible investment in our community, an investment that transforms a once-blighted property into a place of opportunity, stability and renewed community pride,” said Mayor Bob DaSilva. “Center City Apartments will provide access to safe, quality and affordable housing which is essential for families to thrive. It strengthens our workforce, supports local businesses, and ensures that long-term residents can call East Providence home. This project reflects our commitment to building a more inclusive city, one where every resident has the chance to live with dignity and security. I am grateful to our partners One Neighborhood Builders, Crossroads Rhode Island, Family Services of Rhode Island, Foster Forward, Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and all of the state and local leaders who helped make this vision a reality.”
CCA is being developed by ONB through an innovative collaboration and social service partnership with Crossroads Rhode Island (Crossroads), Family Service of Rhode Island (FSRI), and Foster Forward. While all of the units will be made available to low- to moderate-income households, 40% are reserved for the most economically vulnerable families making up to 30% of the Area Median Income who will receive wrap-around supportive services from the nonprofit partners. CCA will offer onsite offices for the partnering nonprofit service providers and ONB’s resident service coordinators, as well as property management and leasing offices.
“When complete, the Center City Apartments will be life-changing for the people who call it home, from teens aging out of foster care to unhoused individuals and low- to moderate-income families,” said Michelle Wilcox, Crossroads Rhode Island President & CEO. “Safe, stable, and affordable housing strengthens communities by giving people the foundation they need to rebuild their lives. Developments like this, which expand access to much-needed permanent supportive housing, are essential to ensuring our neighbors can thrive. We are proud to join forces with three outstanding nonprofit partners to help bring this vision to life.”
“Today’s groundbreaking is especially meaningful to me, not only as the CEO of Family Service of Rhode Island, but also as someone who proudly calls East Providence home” said Marget Holland McDuff, President & CEO of Family Service of RI. “I know firsthand the strength and resilience of this community. By creating affordable housing and connecting residents with supportive services, we are giving families the foundation they deserve to build brighter, more secure futures. This isn’t just about construction; it’s about hope, opportunity, and community.”
“This partnership allows us to give young people leaving foster care the stability they deserve, while also meeting the broader housing needs of our community,” said Lisa Guilette, Executive Director of Foster Forward. “Foster Forward has been rooted in East Providence for the past twenty years, and we know it will be a place where young people can feel supported and truly at home. Center City Apartments is a powerful example of what we can achieve together.”
CCA’s complicated capital stack consists of federal, state, commercial, and philanthropic sources. “RIHousing is happy to provide a number of funding sources to the Center City Apartments, including LIHTC and numerous programs financed through State Fiscal Recovery Funds,” said Carol Ventura, CEO & Executive Director of RIHousing. “This project is a great example of what can be accomplished when developers, municipalities, and community groups team up, not only expanding affordable housing options but offering permanent supportive housing opportunities for our most vulnerable Rhode Islanders.”
LISC Rhode Island provided a $3.5 million acquisition loan, and the capital stack was bolstered by a $2 million Congressional Appropriation.
“I was proud to team up with Senator Whitehouse to deliver a $2 million federal earmark to make the Center City Apartments development a reality. As we break ground on the first phase of this important development to create 95 welcoming new homes for Rhode Islanders, we must also recommit to our shared work boosting the availability of high-quality, low-cost homes across our state,” said Senator Jack Reed, a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who supported a total of $35 million in federal investments for the first phase of this development.
“Home prices keep climbing in Rhode Island, even as the Trump administration pulls back on housing investments,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. It’s great to be here to break ground on the much-needed City Center Apartments after partnering with the delegation to secure a significant federal investment for this development, including a $2-million earmark that Senator Reed and I delivered.”
“It takes all of us to find creative solutions to the housing crisis,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “Thanks to the hard work of Senators Reed and Whitehouse, state partners, and an all-star line up of nonprofits, this transformative affordable housing project will make a difference for those at risk of homelessness.”
The Rhode Island Foundation has made a $3 million loan commitment, which is the largest to date through its Impact Investing Program. The initiative provides capital to nonprofit organizations at favorable interest rates and terms for projects that are local, are place-based and yield a direct impact for Rhode Island in one of the Foundation’s Community Priority areas. Housing and Economic Mobility is one of the Foundation’s Community Priorities under its new Five-year Action Plan.
“By aligning our financial investments with our mission, we can deploy more of our capital to benefit Rhode Island and can support larger scale or different kinds of projects than we typically do through our grant programs,” said David N. Cicilline, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “Safe, affordable housing leads to all sorts of positive outcomes when it comes to health, education and economic opportunity. We’re proud to join the other funders in supporting the work of our nonprofit partners.”
The development was syndicated by National Equity Fund, and Bank of America facilitated the construction loan and Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity.
“Bank of America Community Development Banking is pleased to provide a construction loan and tax credit investment to help finance much-needed affordable housing for families in East Providence,” said Maria Barry, National Community Development Banking Executive at Bank of America. “Center City Apartments is a great example of the impact we can make through public-private partnerships to support the communities where we work and live.”
Phase one of construction includes the renovation of an existing 4-story building on the property and the new construction of an additional 4-story building that will create 95 affordable apartments and the development’s offices and community spaces.
Phase two will create an additional 49 affordable apartments in a new construction building. ONB plans to request funding for phase two of the development from RIHousing as part of its annual consolidated funding application; awards are expected in spring 2026, and if awarded, ONB will commence construction on phase two shortly thereafter.
CCA’s amenities include a resident lounge and library with complimentary Wi-Fi, a wellness room, two community rooms, and ample outdoor greenspace with landscaped private courtyards. The development’s scope also includes extensive improvements to the city’s existing infrastructure that will benefit the community and surrounding neighbors and businesses including a stormwater management plan to mitigate flooding issues, hundreds of feet of replaced water pipe along Taunton Ave, streetscape improvements including new lighting and trees, and improvements to the existing RIPTA bus stop.
The design was completed by Union Studios and Pezzuco Construction is the general contractor. Engineering firms involved in the development include Commonwealth Engineers & Consultants, SW Cole, and SAGE Environmental. Klein Hornig is the development tax attorney, McGunagle & Hentz, PC is the outside general counsel, and Cohn Resnick is the tax accountant.
