CITY OF PROVIDENCE
COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN
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ADOPTED NOVEMBER 22, 2024 APPROVED BY THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND JANUARY 29, 2026
MAYOR BRETT P. SMILEY CITY OF PROVIDENCE
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ADOPTED NOVEMBER 22, 2024 APPROVED BY THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND JANUARY 29, 2026
MAYOR BRETT P. SMILEY CITY OF PROVIDENCE
CITY OF PROVIDENCE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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In an era marked by many new challenges, a piece of time-tested wisdom remains true: there is great comfort in having a well-constructed plan. A solid plan lays a strong foundation for success and empowers us to confidently face and overcome unknown challenges with resilience and vision. Every ten years, the State of Rhode Island requires municipalities to submit an updated Comprehensive Plan, which serves as a land use guide for zoning ordinances, and in some cities and towns, also includes policies and goals for the coming decade. In Providence, our tradition includes both, and it is a great honor to present ours to you.
As Mayor of Providence, I am deeply invested in the future of our city, ensuring it is a place where everyone can find a home, work and raise a family, build a successful life and reach their fullest potential. In the midst of a national housing crisis and global climate change, that goal can often feel out of reach. In a city full of engaged communities, innovative thinkers, and thoughtful civic leaders, my work always reminds me that when we come together, we can solve tough problems.
Together with invaluable input from thousands of neighbors, businesses, civic leaders and stakeholders, my Administration has crafted a Comprehensive Plan that serves as a blueprint for a vibrant, resilient Providence, brimming with opportunities for all who reside and work here for years to come. Our vision is rooted in a deep understanding of what makes Providence such a unique and desirable place to live, work and visit. Providence is a city defined by its award-winning cuisine, diverse neighborhoods, historic streetscapes and creative, entrepreneurial spirit. Our Comprehensive Plan seeks to preserve and enhance these defining characteristics.
Through its nine chapters, the Comprehensive Plan outlines a roadmap for achieving this goal. The plan focuses on several key areas, including housing, land use, economic development, mobility, city services, sustainability and resilience, tourism and culture and more. Each of these components is inextricably linked to the overall well-being of our city, and we are committed to addressing them in an equitable and sustainable manner.
I am deeply appreciative of the years of work my Administration, the City Council and our community has dedicated to our Comprehensive Plan. We recognize that the challenges facing Providence are significant, but we are confident that with a strong vision and a cohesive plan, we can overcome them. The Comprehensive Plan provides a framework for collaboration and action, and we invite everyone invested in the future of Providence to join us in this endeavor.
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BRETT P. SMILEY 39TH MAYOR, CITY OF PROVIDENCE
Mayor Brett P. Smiley
CITY COUNCIL Council President Rachel Miller, Ward 13 John Goncalves, Ward 1 Helen Anthony, Ward 2 Sue AnderBois, Ward 3 Justin Roias, Ward 4 Jo-Ann Ryan, Ward 5 Miguel Sanchez, Ward 6 Ana Vargas, Ward 7 James Taylor, Ward 8 Juan Pichardo, Ward 9 Pedro Espinal, Ward 10 Mary Kay Harris, Ward 11 Althea Graves, Ward 12 Shelley Peterson, Ward 14 Oscar Vargas, Ward 15 June Rose, Chief of Staff Aaron Easter Gardner, Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of Policy
CITY PLAN COMMISSION Michael Gazdacko, Chair Charlotte Lipschitz, Vice Chair Noel Sanchez, Secretary Miguel Quezada Will Sherry Dave Caldwell
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Joseph I. Mulligan III, Director Robert Azar, AICP, Deputy Director Jess Lance, AICP, Director of Special Projects Tim Shea, Community Planning Manager Ryy Dickerson, Principal Planner Lev Simon, Planner David Everett, Principal Planner Choyon Manjrekar, Principal Planner Jason Martin, Principal Planner Chris Ise, Principal Planner Alex Ellis, AICP, Principal Planner Chris Martin, Principal Planner
SMILEY ADMINISTRATION Courtney Hawkins, Chief Operating Officer Emily Crowell, Chief of Staff Sheila Dormody, Chief of Policy and Resiliency Michaela Antunes, Director of Communications for Economic Development David Santilli, Director of Digital Communications Michael Napolitano, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs Norelys Consuegra, Director of City Services Anthony Aquino, Director of Community Relations Joe Wilson Jr., Director of Art, Culture and Tourism James C. Moore III, Director of Inspection and Standards Alexis Thompson, Zoning Official Ted Carr, Director of Economic Development Priscilla de la Cruz, Director of Sustainability Wendy Nilsson, Superintendent of Parks Emily A. Freedman, Director of Housing and Human Services Stephen Grace, Director of Recreation Patricia A. Coyne-Fague, Director of Public Works
Thank you to the many residents, business owners, and community organizations that took time out of their schedules to shape this important plan.
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Comprehensive Plan 101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Community Participation Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Key Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
APPENDICES A. Existing Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 B. Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 C. Implementation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 D. State Guide Plan Conformance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 E. Approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
INTRODUCTION
As required by the Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act, at least once every ten years, municipalities must update and re-adopt a Comprehensive Plan. This “Comp Plan” (for short) is an urban planning policy document that guides Providence’s long-term growth and development. It is developed with community members, articulates a broad shared vision for Providence’s future, and outlines a roadmap of policies and proposals across a range of topics to achieve the vision. This roadmap is intended to ensure that as the city grows, we maintain a high quality of life and vibrant urban environment.
TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THE PLAN INCLUDE:
Sustainability, Resilience, and the Environment
Built Environment
Economic Development
Housing
Mobility
Arts and Cultural Resources
People and Public Spaces
Community Services and Facilities
Land Use
The Providence Department of Planning and Development drafts the Comprehensive Plan on behalf of the City with robust community participation and an extensive public review and approval process led by the Providence City Plan Commission, City Council, and the Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning. State law requires that the Comprehensive Plan is consistent with the State Guide Plan (SGP). References to consistency with the SGP may be found throughout this plan. Appendix D provides a more detailed narrative about this plan’s consistency with the SGP.
The Comprehensive Plan is unique for both its wide-ranging content and impact. Instead of addressing a single topic area or a single neighborhood or corridor, the Comprehensive Plan looks at growth and change over decades, holistically across topics at a city-wide scale.
The centerpiece of the plan, the land use chapter, is also legally binding on Providence’s zoning ordinance, which regulates what types of new development are allowed where. The land use chapter aims to answer the question of “Where and how Providence should grow?” Land use, combined with the vision and strategies of the other chapters, inform how Providence will look and feel in the future.
Each chapter includes an overarching goal, an introductory narrative, and a set of objectives with supporting strategies. At the end of the plan are appendices that include a compilation of data and maps outlining how Providence has changed in recent decades, as well as an implementation matrix, which defines time frames and lead actors for achieving the strategies in every chapter.
To inform the direction of the Comprehensive Plan update, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) led a two-year community participation process that included over 80 community events with engagement opportunities in every neighborhood in Providence. The process was designed to be accessible, iterative, and collaborative.
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In 2022, a period of “listen and learn” engagement kicked off the process with goals of raising public awareness about the Comprehensive Plan, learning about how community members see and experience the City changing, and identifying the issues of highest importance.
In 2023, expanding on the findings from the 2022 engagement, the process entered a “visioning and ideation” phase. During this phase, surveys, workshops, and outreach events were conducted in collaboration with community organizations and elected officials to brainstorm solutions to critical issues such as housing, transportation, and climate change. Methods of participation varied from interactive polling and small group discussions at workshops, to online surveys and tabling at neighborhood block parties. DPD’s analysis of the engagement results informed the internal drafting process.
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Finally, in 2024, DPD published draft elements of the plan and solicited feedback. Methods included public comment at City Plan Commission meetings, online comment through the project website, and a tour of public feedback events at neighborhood libraries. The draft chapters were revised based on this feedback to best represent the community’s vision for Providence’s future growth and development.
The vision set out in this plan aims to embrace and guide change toward a more prosperous, sustainable, and resilient Providence.
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In the coming decades, the City of Providence will undergo dynamic, equitable growth informed by the vision and policies of this Comprehensive Plan. The plan is informed by the ideas and perspectives of thousands of community members that participated in its development from all of Providence’s neighborhoods. A clear vision for Providence’s future emerged from this collaborative process - a vision for a city that is vibrant, affordable, sustainable, healthy, safe, beautiful, and rich with economic opportunity.
Residents and stakeholders envision a Providence that thrives because it supports and empowers the people, places, and quality of life that make it unique, while welcoming new communities, new forms of development and economic opportunity, and new ways of living that benefit all.
The following is a list of key policy changes in each chapter:
LAND USE: Reforms land use strategies to make it easier to build new housing and mixed-use development in every neighborhood, while preserving the scale of buildings and quality of life. Building types to be allowed in different sections of the city include accessory dwelling units (ADUs), “missing middle” housing types (from two-family houses to small apartment buildings), and larger-scale mixed-used transit-oriented development, where appropriate. Changes to industrial land use encourage more clean, sustainable, and resilient industries, and transition away from carbon-intensive sectors.
SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCE & THE ENVIRONMENT: Incorporates best practices and strategies from recent adopted plans aimed at reducing fossil fuel emissions, improving resilience to climate change through green infrastructure and other methods, improving environmental quality and conservation in targeted areas, and emphasizing equity and environmental justice.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT: Commits to improving design standards and review of new development, encourages adaptive reuse of existing structures, encourages green building practices, and expands historic preservation efforts.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Aims to grow and adapt Providence’s economy through investments in key sectors like the blue economy, life sciences, and arts and culture, while supporting workforce and small business and micro business development and improved city infrastructure and services.
HOUSING: Responds to the national housing crisis at the local level by encouraging increased production of new housing at all price points through various methods, with particular attention to expanding deed-restricted affordable housing, housing for populations with special needs, housing near public transit, and energy efficient and accessible housing design.
MOBILITY: Outlines policies to transition to a safer, better-connected transportation system for all Providence residents and visitors, including strategies that aim to increase trips made via public transportation, walking, and biking in alignment with local and state plans and federal guidelines.
ARTS & CULTURAL RESOURCES: Codifies goals and actions created by Providence’s creative community that center the wellbeing of artists and culture-bearers to foster a vibrant and equitable artistic and creative culture that benefits Providence’s civic life, neighborhoods, public realm, and much more.
PEOPLE & PUBLIC SPACES: Plans for the continued investment in and expansion of Providence’s parks system with responsive programming, investments in climate resilience, improved green space access and linkages, and expanded community involvement opportunities.
COMMUNITY SERVICES & FACILITIES: Establishes a diverse set of goals and strategies across topics ranging from utilities to schools and recreation centers that aim to improve the quality and coordination of city services and public facilities.
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Protect, preserve, and restore the natural environment; improve resilience to climate and environmental hazards; ensure equity in environmental policy; and mitigate the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution, and contamination on residents’ health, safety, and quality of life.
Providence is a historic coastal and riverine city with established road and land patterns and a relatively small amount of vacant land. The city’s built infrastructure, topography, and natural habitats are interconnected and vulnerable to a changing climate, historic and current environmental injustices, a growing population, and other external challenges.
Antiquated infrastructure and deferred maintenance present challenges, particularly within the city’s stormwater infrastructure, which has been overwhelmed in recent storm events. Rising sea level and varying temperatures add to these challenges, with “frontline” neighborhoods bearing the brunt of the impact. Climate change impacts everyone, but the term frontline communities has emerged in recent years to refer to the primarily low-income, communities of color that endure a disproportionate risk of the adverse impacts of climate change, while already confronting interconnected environmental justice challenges.
Sea level rise and storm surge threaten property and infrastructure in low-lying areas and along waterways. Increasingly frequent and intense rain events now cause flooding in areas that were previously able to withstand the deluge. Rising temperatures result in more high-heat days and impact air quality, particularly in areas with high percentages of impervious surface and sparse tree canopy. These issues continue to present new challenges to residents, businesses, infrastructure, and the environment, and have social, economic, and environmental impacts.
In alignment with decarbonization mandates set by the Rhode Island Act on Climate (2021), the City must reach certain emissions benchmarks over the next 30 years. Specifically, these benchmarks include reaching 45% below 1990 emission levels by 2030, 80% below 1990 emission levels by 2040, and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Recognizing the urgency of the aforementioned climate and environmental justice issues in combination with state mandated climate action, the City of Providence will embark on incremental progress towards a net-zero future.
In order to face these challenges, attention must be focused on restorative environmental practices, energy conservation, a rapid transition away from fossil fuels in all sectors including heating and transportation, and promotion of renewable energy sources, cleaner industrial operations, and steep emissions reductions. We must be prepared for and facilitate a transition to an equitable, post-fossil fuel existence. Particular attention to and investment in areas of the city that bear outsized burdens must be a priority. Frontline communities must be engaged and centered in the solutions to these challenges.
PROMINENT NATURAL RESOURCES: Significant natural resources and features in Providence include several rivers, the most prominent of which are the Providence, Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck, and Seekonk, which converge in downtown Providence and contain both freshwater and brackish waters. The tidal parts of these rivers are under the jurisdiction of the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC); this effectively means all of the Seekonk and parts of the others. The West River is a tributary of the Moshassuck and, like the
In 2019, the City of Providence, in partnership with the Racial Environmental Justice Committee and residents of Providence’s frontline communities, created the Climate Justice Plan. The plan provides a comprehensive and community-input driven analysis of seven primary strategies which aim to achieve climate and environmental justice for all Providence residents and for the natural environment. The Plan prioritizes solutions for low-income, communities of color who often bear the brunt of environmental hazards yet contribute the least to climate and environmental crises.
others, played a significant role in the industrial history of the city. Other tributaries and streams are underground for stretches. Providence rivers provide habitat for a variety of flora and fauna, are increasingly flood-prone, and all have water quality impairments. The Woonasquatucket in particular is important for herring that require both fresh and salt water and migrate between the river and the bay. Over the past two decades several fish ladders have been constructed by the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC) to help reestablish herring populations.
Rhode Island Water Quality 2035, an element of the State Guide Plan calls for protecting and restoring the quality of Rhode Island’s waters and aquatic habitats. The city has been working diligently reduce contaminants and improve water quality in its surface waters with a focus on several ponds. Ponds of note include those at Roger Williams Park (called “lakes” but really manmade ponds) and Mashapaug Pond, to which they are connected. This connection is largely responsible for contamination of the park’s ponds, an ongoing issue being addressed through the work of the Parks Department and the Stormwater Innovation Center through filtering and treating incoming polluted water. The City is also working with RIDEM under a Residual Designation Authority stormwater permit to address the pollution challenges of Mashapaug Pond. Other ponds of note are Upper and Lower Canada Ponds, which provide habitat and some flood storage capacity.
The City of Providence has been under a consent agreement with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to upgrade its stormwater management system to meet Clean Water Act standards. The City also works closely with, CRMC, and the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) to encourage development that applies best management practices for water and stormwater management. All development projects are required to comply with stormwater management regulations of the City, RIDEM, CRMC, and NBC.
As a highly developed, urbanized city, Providence has few prominent wetlands in a natural state. Likewise, natural floodplains are largely things of the past. Instead, large public parks like Merino and Donigian serve as flood storage areas in times of excessive rainfall. The absence of floodplains for flood storage and absorption is one of the challenges facing the City, especially with measurable sea level rise and an increase in more intense storms.
In the City of Providence and along the shores of its waterways, Neutaconkanut Hill, Blackstone Park and “River Road,” Roger Williams Park, India Point Park, Butler Hospital, Swan Point Cemetery, North Burial Grounds, Davis Park, Save The Bay, and Collier Point Park are important places for green space, urban forest and tree canopy, habitat, coastal access, and exposure to nature.
ISSUES: Issues affecting natural systems and resources in Providence include the following:
Stormwater and flooding, as more intense storms, climate change, and sea level rise play an increasing role. Even “nuisance” flooding has been shown to have increasing impacts on natural systems. Contamination threats, particularly from flooding in industrial areas
Water Quality and Impaired Waters, though the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) abatement project has resulted in great improvement, as have numerous green infrastructure projects citywide. Frequent and intense storms and flooding can exacerbate these issues.
Heat and drought are increasingly problematic and have impacts on the health of landscaping and trees, adding to the vulnerability of native species. These conditions can also exacerbate flood and erosion impacts.
Erosion is an increasing issue with more intense and frequent rainfall events.
Wildfire can result from drought conditions.
Animal habitat is affected by all of the above, as well as by increased impervious surface, and river and stream bank degradation.
Existing plans and ongoing efforts such as the City of Providence Climate Justice Plan, the Providence Tree Plan, Providence Hazard Mitigation Plan, ProvPort Master Plan, the MetroBay Special Area Management Plan (SAMP), as well as Rhode Island Water Quality 2035, an element of the State Guide Plan, have significant bearing on specific aspects of this section as well as strategies to reach climate mandates and should be referenced for details and implementation where applicable.
Ensure the protection and resilience of the people, natural environment, built environment, and infrastructure of Providence to the effects of climate change and extreme weather.
Strategies:
A. Utilizing tools such as CRMC STORMTOOLS and CRMC Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM), assess stormwater and flood protection infrastructure, focusing on resiliency capacity, deferred maintenance and repair, particularly in flood-prone areas, with the intention of protecting water quality, preventing erosion and riverbank destabilization, and protecting human lives and property.
B. Reduce impervious surface and investigate mechanisms to incentivize pavement reduction, use of permeable surface materials, and green infrastructure/nature-based stormwater solutions.
C. Study and prioritize rivers, watersheds, and flood-prone areas for further analysis and funding (and explore funding sources and mechanisms).
D. Coordinate inter-departmental efforts between Planning and Development, Parks, Sustainability, Public Works, and Emergency Management to maximize stormwater management and flood mitigation planning, funding, design, and implementation.
E. Incorporate stormwater mitigation and management into all streetscape projects.
F. Prioritize street projects that incorporate ancillary benefits including heat island mitigation, stormwater retention, traffic calming, complete streets configurations, and open space.
G. Coordinate and incorporate plans and studies into multi-departmental decision-making, including the Hazard Mitigation Plan, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Woonasquatucket Flood project and recommendations, and Seekonk River/York Pond Watershed projects and plans.
H. Coordinate with and assist community groups, residents, and businesses in their efforts to implement stormwater and flood reduction measures.
I. Review and revise the City’s stormwater ordinance to ensure a balance between the desire for increased development and density in certain zones and the impacts of increased impervious area and stormwater to avoid exacerbating flooding. Consider including requirements to address pollutants of concern for specific watersheds. Also consider more stringent on-site stormwater management requirements for new development or substantial redevelopment projects.
J. Identify the areas most impacted by flooding caused by heavy rain events, sea level rise, and storm surge. Design and implement regulatory measures to ensure development is safely sited and resilient to flooding.
K. Identify locations and consider strategies to restore floodplains to reduce the incidence of flooding and lessen risk to health, safety, and the economy.
L. Review and revise City floodplain management responsibilities and procedures including maintenance of elevation certificates and related recordkeeping.
M. Incorporate phytoremediation and other natural solutions into stormwater and flood mitigation efforts where possible, mindful of the prevalence of contaminated land adjacent to water bodies and rivers.
N. Encourage and assist in the use of nature based solutions and “greening” of flood-prone areas wherever possible. Avoid further hardening of the landscape in response to flooding.
O. Build on the findings and recommendations of the Infrastructure Resilience Framework project and the ProvPort Master Plan to identify funding sources to develop and implement a plan for the Port of Providence to increase resilience to storm surge and to avoid the spread of hazardous materials and contamination that could result from significant flooding of the port area.
P. Devote resources to the ongoing maintenance of the hurricane barrier.
Q. Devote resources to the ongoing maintenance of nature-based solutions and stormwater management systems.
OBJECTIVE SRE2: CLIMATE PROTECTION, AIR QUALITY, and HEAT MITIGATION
Ensure resilience and the protection of public health to the effects of extreme heat and air pollution.
Strategies:
A. Support and help expand public and private air quality monitoring programs, particularly in areas with high rates of asthma, odor complaints, highway and truck traffic, and industrial activity.
B. Work with the state to strengthen environmental monitoring and enforcement of violations, to ensure regulatory compliance by industrial operators.
C. Support and implement actions to reduce the incidence of air quality odors, issues, and violations, working with state and federal regulators and industrial operators.
D. Investigate ways to address the cumulative impacts of pollution sources in concentrated areas.
E. Support enforcement of anti-idling regulations, particularly in the port area and other high-traffic industrial and commercial areas and investigate off-street options for truck queuing and temporary parking.
F. Encourage, support, and implement best practices that reduce all types of harmful emissions from businesses and vehicle fleets in alignment with state mandates.
G. Promote and encourage additional use of and membership in programs such as DERA (Diesel Emissions Reduction Act) and Green Marine.
H. Plan for the elimination of fossil fuel imports, operations, and storage at ProvPort and in the port area overall, ensuring that there is no increase in fossil fuel infrastructure other than the City’s existing legal obligations, including, but not limited to, active tax stabilization agreements and active revenue sharing agreements.
I. Promote expansion of renewable energy businesses and operations and other clean and “green” industrial uses throughout the region.
J. Promote development practices that increase green space, landscaping, native plants and wildflowers, tree-planting, natural vegetation, and reduced impervious surface to mitigate the heat island effect.
K. Support the implementation of the Providence Tree Plan and promote private and non-profit planting efforts that increase canopy coverage, especially in low-canopy neighborhoods. Partner across various municipal agencies to prevent disruptions to existing infrastructure (sidewalks, roads, etc) so that any trees planted can be sustained and grow, without causing mobility challenges for residents.
L. Identify properties with large rooftops suitable for increased thermal emittance, or cool and reflective finishes, to offset heat island impacts, particularly in frontline communities and/or neighborhoods with high percentages of large buildings and roof coverage.
M. Work with state and federal agencies to mitigate the cumulative impact of emissions and pollutants generated by industrial operations.
N. Expand and facilitate use of non-carbon fuels and improve traffic circulation to reduce emissions and improve air quality. Prioritize development of non-car transportation options (biking, walking, scooting, etc) to eliminate emissions and improve air quality.
O. Protect neighborhoods from the impacts of freight movement, particularly by truck, by promoting appropriate travel routes and temporary staging areas.
P. Reduce VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled), expand and prioritize public transit, bicycle, scooter, and pedestrian transportation and mobility through infrastructure investments. Support telecommuting and home-based employment.
Protect and restore environmentally significant and sensitive areas and habitat including wetlands and wetland buffers, rivers and riverbanks, and the urban forest.
Strategies:
A. Promote and advocate for the restoration of all rivers and waterbodies to fishable and swimmable conditions. B. Enforce regulations relating to stormwater and water quality and ensuring compliance with state total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and water quality standards. C. Support and promote the implementation of the Providence Tree Plan and voluntary planting efforts, with particular focus on developing funding strategies and programs to support tree planting and maintenance on public and private property in low canopy neighborhoods. D. Support, promote, and implement naturalization of riverbanks, valleys and uplands where practicable. E. Protect habitat in and along rivers and other waterbodies as well as on land, particularly in conservation zones and in parks. F. Consider waterfront development and conservation standards such as WEDG (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) and the use of innovative materials to facilitate shoreline restoration.
Conserve energy, reduce consumption of fossil fuels in alignment with local targets and state mandates, and develop and implement renewable energy sources.
Strategies:
A. Continue developing and implementing strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across energy, transportation, waste and other sectors in line with city and state plans and mandates like the Climate Justice Plan, the RI Act on Climate, and the 2025 RI Climate Action Plan. B. Continue and expand investments in multi-modal transportation safety, efficiency, and electrification in line with the Great Streets Plan, RI Transit Master Plan, RI Long Range Transportation Plan, and the North Main Street Corridor Revitalization Study, to encourage mode shifts toward public transportation, walking, biking, carpooling, and electric vehicles. C. Continue to transition the City’s motor-vehicle fleet to low- or no-carbon vehicles by procuring fuel-efficient, hybrid technology and alternative energy vehicles. D. Support the transition of RIPTA’s bus fleet to zero-emissions vehicles, with an emphasis on transitioning routes in areas impacted by poor air quality. E. Reduce vehicle emissions caused by excessive idling by measures including public education, enforcement of anti-idling regulations, and enforcement of other existing regulations. F. Continue to pursue weatherization, energy efficiency, and electrification at City-owned facilities and work to comply with the City Ordinance requiring all municipal buildings to be carbon neutral by 2040. G. Reduce the City’s use of materials and increasing recycling rates, promoting the use of recycled materials, and encouraging source reduction in packaging. H. Promote and incentivize weatherization, energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy sources of commercial and residential buildings. I. Identify opportunities and locations for constructing local renewable energy sources including wind and solar locations such as schools, rooftops of large buildings, underutilized former gas-stations, and parking areas.
Ensure that buildings and infrastructure are environmentally sustainable and resilient to the effects of climate change.
Strategies:
A. In alignment with the City’s Green Building Ordinance, decarbonize City-owned buildings by 2040 through investments in weatherization, energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy. B. Promote the use of “green” technology and practices in industry, business and construction. C. Develop design criteria that maximize energy conservation and electrification and minimize the use of fossil fuels in buildings. D. Encourage the use of recycled materials in the construction of buildings. E. Encourage the reuse of existing buildings. F. Promote the long-term benefits of energy-efficient rehabilitation and new construction and consider the use of appropriate incentives. G. Promote the use of rain barrels to collect rainwater and prevent sewer overflow. H. Encourage “depaving” of properties through education, enforcement of existing paving limits, and incentives, where applicable. I. Utilize the institutional master plan review process to encourage institutional stakeholders to reduce excess pavement and develop more sustainable and resilient buildings and infrastructure.
Prioritize the remediation of brownfields (land contaminated by hazardous substances and/or petroleum) to revitalize neighborhoods, remove health hazards, address community needs including open space, and improve the environment.
Strategies:
A. Continue to pursue US EPA Community Wide Assessment and Cleanup Grants, RIDEM Brownfields programs, and other resources for brownfields assessment, remediation, and redevelopment. B. Work with state, private, and non-profit entities to facilitate the assessment, remediation, and environmentally sustainable redevelopment of brownfield sites. C. Identify environmentally compromised land and establish strategies to mitigate impacts. D. Identify additional funding sources to encourage redevelopment of vacant, underused, and environmentally compromised lands such as brownfields. E. Identify and coordinate geographic-specific grant needs for brownfields assessment and cleanup and ensure sufficient staff and consulting resources to develop high-quality grant applications.
Encourage and foster environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient practices.
Strategies:
A. Lead by example and reduce the City’s environmental footprint by adopting environmentally conscious practices and procurement processes for City government and in City facilities.
B. Encourage and, when practicable, provide incentives to recycle, conserve water and energy, use renewable resources and alternative sources of energy, and use public transit and alternative modes of transportation.
C. Support and incorporate community-led efforts and scientific findings to improve environmental conditions and public health in frontline neighborhoods.
D. Synthesize and publicize the findings and recommendations of ongoing efforts such as the NOAA Shoreline project, National Science Foundation project, and ProvPort Master Plan to improve conditions for public health, access, wildlife habitat, and resiliency in the port area.
Mitigate the disproportionate environmental and health impacts of pollution, climate impacts, and the degradation of natural systems on environmental justice neighborhoods.
Strategies:
A. Greatly reduce the impacts of pollution from industrial operations; fuel and materials storage; energy production; and freight movement, with attention to the health, safety, and quality of life impacts of emissions, pollutants, traffic, and nuisances on near-industry neighborhoods.
B. Require the development and implementation of sustainable industrial practices. Strategies should include reducing emissions from truck traffic and idling, cargo-handling equipment, ships and vessels, building energy use, energy production, and industrial processes.
C. Transition to clean and renewable energy sources for port and industrial activities.
D. Work with industry stakeholders to identify and support development of cleaner alternatives to fuels and materials.
E. Promote and plan for cleaner, “greener,” industrial operations and uses that balance economic, social, and environmental outcomes and improve resilience to sea level rise, storm surge, and environmental impacts.
F. Ensure that the port provides meaningful economic benefit to near-port neighborhoods, including Upper and Lower South Providence and Washington Park. For example, develop and publicize job-training and employment opportunities for disadvantaged near-port neighborhood residents.
G. Foster a transparent and collaborative relationship between the City, near-industry neighborhoods, industrial operators and landowners, and other stakeholders.
H. Increase public access to and involvement in the port area and shoreline, especially for residents of port-area neighborhoods while avoiding conflict with and danger from commercial uses.
I. Promote the improvement of environmental conditions of port properties, particularly those north of ProvPort, and encourage the establishment and growth of cleaner industry, such as offshore wind-related and other industry in the renewable energy sector. Prohibit and plan and prepare for the phase out of such businesses that will result from what is required to meet the science-based requirements of the Act on Climate, other than the City’s existing legal obligations, including, but not limited to, active tax stabilization agreements and active revenue sharing agreements.
J. Position industrial areas to be prepared for a “post-carbon” future in alignment with state decarbonization mandates.
K. In anticipation of federal and state legislation targeting investment in “green justice areas,” establish local green justice area designations to identify neighborhoods most affected by cumulative impacts and environmental justice issues.
L. Prioritize green justice areas for resource allocation, ensuring that communities with historically disproportionate environmental burdens receive an equitable share of resources, such as the establishment of resilience hubs, energy efficiency, and electrification of homes, and workforce development. Ensure the implementation of required sustainability projects via the Sustainability Projects Reserve Account in accordance with ProvPort Master Plan requirements.
M. Prioritize and implement recommendations of ongoing efforts such as the NOAA Shoreline project, National Science Foundation project, SNEP Opportunity to Advance Resilience (SOAR), and ProvPort Master Plan to improve conditions for public health, access, wildlife habitat, and resiliency in the port area.
Ensure coordination with other municipalities and the state to ensure mutually beneficial environmental outcomes.
Strategies:
A. Coordinate the review of state and federal government plans and projects with adjoining communities to ensure that the proposals will not adversely affect air and water quality and environmentally sensitive areas.
B. Encourage and participate in regional and state-led efforts to meet state decarbonization mandates set forth in the Act on Climate.
C. Coordinate with the neighboring municipalities of East Providence and Pawtucket on plans and projects with mutual benefits on and around the Seekonk and Providence rivers, including environmental protection (habitat, water quality), recreational boating, and shoreline access.
D. Work with the state and neighboring municipalities to address the issue of water-borne debris and marine hazards.
E. Pursue regional and/or watershed-level approaches to stormwater management and flood control, consistent with Element 731, an element of the State Guide Plan, Rhode Island Water Quality 2035.
F. Encourage the state to lead by example by using alternative fuel vehicles for fleet and transit vehicles, decarbonizing state-owned buildings, and building infrastructure that will reduce VMT.
G. Work with state and other municipalities to address regional sustainability through coordinated approaches to transit, air and water quality, brownfield remediation, flood zone protection, and provision of bike paths and recreational areas.
H. Ensure that state projects meet or exceed local landscaping requirements.
I. Encourage the state to consider ease of maintenance in its designs and identify long-term maintenance plans for all of its projects.
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Protect, preserve and promote a high-quality built environment.
An essential element of Providence’s quality of life is its urban design — how the city looks, feels, and functions.
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“Urban design” refers to the basic structural forms on which the city is built — natural features such as waterways, landforms, and topography; the street grid, alleys, the open space system; the architecture of its buildings, infrastructure, and public spaces; and the relationships among all of these elements. Providence has achieved high-quality urban design consistently over time and people cherish the result.
Fortunately for Providence, at several critical points in its history, leaders recognized the value of the city’s special features and character and worked to preserve and restore the elements that make Providence unique.
These include the traditionally designed public buildings, road network, and open spaces that use Providence’s natural assets to the best advantage and create a unique civic identity. It also includes the land development patterns that feature compact, walkable neighborhoods and outstanding architecture.
One of the oldest cities in the northeast, Providence has retained an unusual urban coherence, which combines exemplary 18th and 19th century residential neighborhoods with many high-quality industrial buildings and a central business district downtown. It also has a rich history of art, design, invention, and innovation. Sustaining excellence in urban design into the future demands that Providence continues to use its best legacies to guide development. While new development need not conform to or attempt to replicate the precise historical or architectural particulars of historic buildings, it should reflect the fine qualities of design and use of materials inherent to the best of Providence’s built environment, old and new. This applies to all of the city’s neighborhoods, and for both new construction and rehabilitation. It also applies to infrastructure such as streets and bridges, as well as public and private buildings.
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Providence’s identity is shaped largely by the diversity and evolution of its architectural styles, dating from the 1600s to the present. Fortunately, some of the architectural heritage of every era remains as part of the built environment of the city. Historic buildings provide not only a sense of place but a sense of continuity with the past. We can learn from them about the people who came before us, how they lived and worked and shaped the city we know today.
The economic value of historic preservation in Providence is well established. Historic preservation is an economic development tool that creates jobs, stimulates related retail and service industries, generates tax revenue, and develops Providence as a business location and tourist destination.
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Cities like Providence recognize that historic buildings are culturally, aesthetically, and financially valuable to the community as a whole and are worthy of preservation. In 1960, the city created the Providence Historic District Commission (PHDC) to protect the unique physical character and visual identity of the city by regulating development in designated local historic districts. In Providence, historic districts are established as zoning overlay districts after extensive neighborhood consultation and education, a public hearing, and adoption by the City Council. Providence has eight local historic districts, containing a total of approximately 2,600 properties. Local historic districts contain residential, commercial, religious, educational, industrial, governmental, transportation, and civic buildings, in addition to other structures and open spaces, and represent a range of architectural styles. In 2021, the city adopted its newest historic district, the Power-Cooke Street Historic District, which contains 90 properties.
In 2000, Providence developed the Industrial and Commercial Buildings District, the state’s first non-contiguous, thematic local historic district. This district is composed of mid-19th to 20th century industrial and commercial buildings throughout the city. The buildings in this district are reviewed by the PHDC for demolition and major alterations only. The landmark status makes these buildings eligible for state, federal and local tax incentives for their rehabilitation and renovation. In 2014, Providence created the Providence Landmarks District (PLD). Following the non-contiguous model, the PLD incorporated the ICBD as a sub-category, and added a new residential sub-category. The residential category is composed primarily of individually listed National Register properties (approximately 33 buildings). The residential district also includes approximately 22 significant buildings that owners requested for inclusion in the district. By adopting the PLD, Providence has protected the majority of individually listed National Register properties in the city.
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| Local Historic District Name | Date Designated | Approximate # of Properties |
|---|---|---|
| College Hill Historic District | 1960. Expanded 1990, 2021. | 945 |
| Stimson Avenue Historic District | 1981 | 32 |
| Broadway Historic District | 1982 | 164 |
| Armory Historic District | 1989. Expanded 2004. | 509 |
| Jewelry Historic District | 1991 | 25 |
| North Elmwood Historic District | 1991 | 148 |
| South Elmwood Historic District | 1992 | 123 |
| Providence Landmarks District | 2001. Expanded 2004, 2014. | 339 (284 IBCD, 55 Residential) |
| Power-Cooke Street Historic District | 2021 | 90 |
PROVIDENCE’S LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS (SEE MAP B.7 IN APPENDIX B)
Providence also contains many National Register Districts. Properties in these districts, when not also in local historic districts, are generally not regulated by the city, but are eligible to receive state and federal historic tax credits.
DOWNTOWN ZONING. In 1994, the city created the Downcity Overlay District to regulate the design of buildings and open spaces in the historic core of Downtown Providence. The Downcity Design Review Committee was designated as a public body to review design within the district. In 2012, the state was in the process of demolishing I-195, which passed through the middle of Downtown, the city refashioned its Downtown zoning to extend design review into the Jewelry District and the I-195 redevelopment corridor in Downtown and Fox Point. The Downcity Design Review Committee (DDRC) was renamed the Downtown Design Review Committee and given broader authority to regulate design in this area.
In 2011, the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission was created by the R.I. General Assembly to serve as the property owner and development review board for the I-195 surplus parcels, now called the195 District. The city collaborates closely with the I-195 Commission to ensure that development on its land is designed appropriately and fits within the urban design context of the city while also fulfilling the commission’s aims of innovation and high standards of building design.
The Capital Center Special Development District, created in 1982, is an overlay zoning district located in the northern portion of Downtown. The Capital Center Commission (CCC) was established to administer development in the district. By ordinance, when the CCC dissolves, the DDRC and its staff will assume jurisdiction over the area of applicability. In order to have a more consistent regulatory structure in Downtown, the city supports the dissolution of the CCC. This will require action and coordination by city, state, and federal agencies, with legislation introduced at the city and state level to ensure a smooth transition to the new regulatory structure.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW. The city utilizes a process called Development Plan Review (DPR) to review many types of projects, including those under the purview of the City Plan Commission, the DDRC, and city staff. The city has recently incorporated new tools to integrate design review into the DPR process.
TAX INCENTIVES. In 2002, the State of Rhode Island created economic incentives to stimulate the redevelopment and reuse of historic properties. The owners of these properties were eligible for state tax credits equal to 30 percent of qualified rehabilitation expenditures, which was the most generous state historic tax credit program in the country. In combination with the federal historic tax credit of 20 percent, redevelopers of historic buildings in Rhode Island were able to get back 50 percent of their qualified expenses. Unfortunately, the state historic tax credit was eliminated in 2008. In 2013 a R.I. state historic tax credit was reinstituted where projects can earn 20–25% of qualified rehabilitation expenditures. The current program is set to sunset on June 30, 2024.
In 2015 the state created the Rebuild Rhode Island tax credit program, which allows for adaptive reuse or development of recognized historic structures. The program is set to sunset on December 31, 2024. The city feels strongly that the state historic tax credit and the Rebuild Rhode Island tax credit programs must be further extended to help preserve our significant historic structures and to help foster development.
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FINANCIAL BURDEN. Local historic districts protect some of Providence’s most important legacies, but can also put a financial burden on homeowners who must adhere to strict standards for renovation and preservation. In some instances, regulations to sustain the historic features of buildings are beyond the economic means of homeowners. Government incentives are often critical to assist historic property owners in preserving their properties.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND SEA LEVEL RISE. A significant portion of the city’s infrastructure and facilities are at risk of impact by natural hazards. Extreme flooding has occurred in the past, most notably in 2010, and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that this will only increase with severe storm events. Given its location at the head of Narragansett Bay and its low elevation, the city is vulnerable to flood damage, and many historic buildings at risk.
DEVELOPMENT OF VACANT LOTS. In the late 1980s and early 1990s many of Providence’s neighborhoods were littered with vacant lots. With an increase in market pressure, many of those lots have been developed. While this has been a welcome change and has produced needed housing, the quality of construction on many of these infill lots has been poor. Residential and commercial infill projects have often been constructed with poor quality materials, and do not fit in with the character of the existing homes and businesses. More effort must be made to encourage and mandate quality design for infill construction.
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. In recent years there has been a recognition that our buildings need to be more sustainable in terms of use of building materials, energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, water conservation, stormwater management, to name a few. LEED and other standards of environmentally sustainable construction are now widely accepted and increasingly attainable. The city has taken a lead role in this movement, through developing and renovating schools and other buildings to green standards. The city must adopt policies that result in continued improvements in sustainable building practices, including adaptive reuse and stormwater management.
ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES IN/ON HISTORIC STRUCTURES. Home and business owners often want to install alternative energy technologies on their home or business. In 2013 the Historic District Commission created standards for the installation of solar energy systems. Since this time the HDC has reviewed 80 solar applications, with an approval rating of 97%, striking a balance between the need to protect the built environment and changing technologies.
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER. The increasing need for a broad array of housing options requires a more diverse mix of residential types that are both affordable and complementary to neighborhood character. New construction must be sensitive to the character and qualities of Providence’s neighborhoods. It is also important to retain the traditional character of neighborhood commercial districts, while allowing for more density in appropriate areas.
UNDESIGNATED STRUCTURES. Many buildings in Providence that may qualify for landmark designation are outside of historic districts. The City continues to evaluate properties for landmark designation. This plan identifies properties that should be included in historic districts.
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MODERN ARCHITECTURE. The city has not adequately addressed preservation standards for significant examples of architecture from the second half of the 20th century. Without foresight, more architecturally significant structures of this underappreciated era may be lost. Neighborhoods and architectural styles developed after World War II have matured but are not addressed by current preservation policies. Many of these areas are intact in form, but have had their materials changed. Their pattern of development is more significant than the intactness of their materials and should be evaluated for potential designation.
SURFACE PARKING LOTS. Surface parking lots downtown and along commercial corridors are an excellent opportunity for redevelopment. Filling in gaps in the urban fabric with high quality infill projects will add to the city’s character.
UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. The city has been evaluating recognition of significant properties and sites in areas not typically covered by historic districts. In some cases, physical buildings no longer exist, and we are evaluating how to recognize them in ways that have meaning to the community.
Promote a culture of high-quality architecture, construction, and urban design.
Strategies:
A. Promote high-quality urban design through design standards and design review. B. Reevaluate and improve design standards for all development projects. C. Strategically invest in public infrastructure, streetscapes, and public amenities to promote Providence’s civic identity and attract high-quality development. D. Consolidate the development review process in Downtown by dissolving the Capital Center Commission and subjecting all projects to a uniform development plan review process. E. Encourage high-quality innovative contemporary building design. F. Encourage, support, and use enforcement tools to ensure the maintenance and stewardship of all buildings in Providence.
Encourage new development to be compatible with Providence’s traditional character.
Strategies:
A. Through the design review process, promote design innovation and architectural diversity that complements Providence’s traditional character. B. Encourage developments to be compatible with surrounding uses while not stifling innovative design and architecture. C. Ensure that regulations reinforce high-quality urban design and traditional neighborhood character through rules governing size, scale and massing. D. Promote and incentivize the redevelopment and reduction of surface parking lots and excessive impervious surface. E. Encourage mixed-use, pedestrian oriented developments along commercial corridors and in other growth areas at a greater height and density than in the residential areas. F. Ensure that new developments improve pedestrian movement and provide pedestrian amenities. G. Promote adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Reinforce the design quality, function, and character of connections among public places and centers of activity.
Strategies:
A. Preserve, enhance, extend, and connect the historic patterns and character of the city’s street and sidewalk system.
B. Develop streetscape standards that enhance the pedestrian experience and incorporate high-quality design elements that are economical and easy to maintain.
C. Promote public art in the built environment that reinforces a sense of place.
Preserve the historic buildings and districts that contribute positively to Providence’s urban fabric.
Strategies:
A. Protect and preserve historic resources citywide through design standards, zoning controls, easements, and other tools.
B. Consider adopting varying degrees of regulation for historic properties. Explore whether a lesser regulated local historic district is viable for certain areas.
C. Identify stronger enforcement options to discourage the alteration and demolition of historic resources without approval.
D. Develop additional financial incentives and tools, such as property tax incentives, for property owners to rehabilitate structures of architectural or historic merit.
E. Require institutions to identify historic buildings and plan for their future use. Propose institutional properties listed or eligible for the State or National Historic Register for inclusion into local historic districts.
F. Update the zoning map to reflect appropriate boundaries of historic districts, including adding new properties and removing properties where demolition has occurred.
Ensure that the City of Providence takes the lead in design excellence and historic preservation.
Strategies:
A. Support and encourage historic preservation of city-owned properties. Historic city properties such as former schools and firehouses should be considered for adaptive reuse and demolished only as a last resort.
B. Consider the adaptive reuse of historic buildings when procuring office space for city agencies.
C. Work with the state to evaluate and address the impact of building codes and other regulations on historic preservation and cost of construction.
D. Design and construct city buildings as models of design excellence.
E. Construct and rehabilitate municipal buildings to high standards of energy efficiency and sustainability.
F. Continue to develop standard house designs that developers can easily adapt to vacant lots in the city.
Promote public awareness of urban design and historic preservation principles through education and collaboration with partners and schools.
Strategies:
A. Raise public awareness of the historic significance of structures and areas in Providence.
B. Encourage partnerships with design and preservation organizations to organize public information campaigns, particularly in underrepresented communities.
C. Support efforts to educate Providence residents on the importance of high-quality urban design, contemporary architecture, and historic preservation.
D. Support student education and involvement in urban design and historic preservation.
Work with the State of Rhode Island and adjacent communities to support design excellence and historic preservation in the region.
Strategies:
A. Encourage the state to restore the historic tax credit.
B. Work with adjacent communities to ensure high-quality design on the city's borders.
C. Encourage high-quality urban design for state projects within the city.
OBJECTIVE BE8: THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL HAZARDS Protect the built realm from natural hazards.
Strategies:
A. Continue to identify areas at risk of natural hazards within the city’s built environment.
B. Refine regulations regarding building in high-hazard areas.
C. Work to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards by improving stormwater management structures and practices.
D. If necessary, remove vulnerable structures in high hazard areas.
E. Evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier in protecting the built environment.
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GOAL: Grow, adapt, and strengthen Providence’s economy
As Rhode Island’s largest city and economic engine, the importance of Providence’s business climate cannot be understated. Retaining and attracting businesses that are economically supportive to our residents and city is vital to the city and its residents’ prosperity and quality of life. Providing a welcoming and supportive economic climate to benefit existing and future businesses and the physical assets to support them is a top City priority. Ensuring that the businesses support our residents and workforce is also a top priority.
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Providence leaders recognize the need to foster a resilient business climate that can withstand and adapt to changing economic landscapes and attract investment from emerging and growing sectors. Since 2020, the ways in which people live, work, learn, and play have undergone dramatic changes nationally and locally. Despite large-scale shifts in this post-Covid landscape, Providence’s current economic climate is encouraging.
Although there are indications of a robust and diversifying local economy in Providence, the city’s unemployment rate is still 5.3% as of September 2024, slightly higher than the State’s 4.6% and the National rate of 4.1%.
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Providence is also well-positioned for growth, especially in health, science, tech, and tourism sectors. In the past decade, the city has also notably developed a more robust food and urban agriculture sector, which is unique and poised for further growth in the coming decade. To support this expansion, the City continues to work with developers to enhance their understanding of the infrastructure requirements associated with emerging sectors. This targeted work will ensure the availability of cutting-edge lab and maker spaces that enable new businesses to establish roots in Providence, underscoring a deep commitment to inclusive growth that positions Providence as a thriving hub for innovation and economic prosperity.
Providence’s population is also growing. Data from the 2020 US Census shows that Providence has grown significantly since 2010. Within a decade, the Providence population grew by nearly 7%, from 178,042 to 190,934. As the city’s population expands, there is a noticeable shift in demographics. A growing trend towards diversity is evident, particularly with Hispanic residents constituting 44% of the population, marking a 19% rise since 2010. New arrivals to Providence have demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit, particularly with small businesses and micro businesses, retail, restaurants, and services.
Data also demonstrates changes in household incomes in Providence. The number of households earning less than $45,000 or exceeding $99,000 annually has risen, while those in the middle-income bracket, ranging from $45,000 to $99,000, have experienced a decline. This dynamic has led to a notable increase in wealth disparity within the city. Despite this disparity, the Providence adult population is achieving higher levels of education; nearly 32% of all residents over 25 hold a 4-year college degree or higher.
In response to the question of “where and how do we grow,” the Comprehensive Plan takes a holistic view of where to direct job growth, informed by strategic land use and policy goals across topics like housing, climate and sustainability, and transportation. Whereas one type of economic growth, in emerging professional sectors, for example, may require integration with quality public transportation and the amenities of mixed-use urban neighborhoods, industrial sector growth requires jobs districts that are protected from residential uses to encourage expansion, mitigate conflicts and avoid market pressures that would restrict economic development. Providence also aims to capitalize on the growth of the blue economy by preserving and improving the environmental quality of important land along the working waterfront and deep-water port, for the growth of offshore wind and other emerging ocean tech industries.
Growth corridors are outlined in the Growth Strategy and Future Land Use Maps of the Land Use chapter and illustrate areas that are prime for business development and can sustain an increase in density. As traditional daily commutes to Downtown business district workplaces decline as work from home (WFH) continues to rise, the City must both encourage a more mixed-use Downtown and invest in its neighborhoods to encourage small and micro businesses growth, industry clusters, local collaborative incubators and scalable business opportunities. Most neighborhoods in Providence have excellent connectivity amongst each other as well as to major highways, interstates and rail and bus service which facilitate travel to other business hubs and TF Green Airport, allowing workers who may be employed elsewhere or require frequent business travel, to call Providence their home.
Investing in what makes Providence the “Creative Capital” is another important component in growing the City’s economic base, while preserving the cultural assets that residents love. Providence’s arts and culture sector serves as a formidable economic engine, contributing over $2 billion to the Rhode Island economy, and generating more than
$200 million in Providence in 2022 alone. These figures only partially capture the transformative influence of a thriving arts and design sector, which can have interdisciplinary benefits when integrated into STEM industries (STEAM), for example. Moreover, the city’s longstanding reputation for its arts and culture attracts a talented workforce and contributes to the city’s overall quality of life. To ensure we can continue to operate as a creative capital, we need to ensure that our artists and designers can continue to afford to not only live in the City but afford studios and places to create, show, and sell their art. Providence needs to ensure that these types of businesses and individuals are not pushed out by other businesses.
Providence’s reputation in the arts, intact historic fabric, walkable neighborhoods, culinary offerings, and cultural events and attractions also draws growing levels of tourism. The number of annual visitors to Providence has returned to pre-pandemic levels (estimated at over 7 million in 2022), with close to $2 billion dollars in traveler economy spending in 2022 alone, almost 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels. The tourism and hospitality sector is a key and growing employer in Providence, which is bolstered by growing cultural events like Waterfire, PVD Fest, and RI Pride Festival and Parade. This sector also includes our thriving dining and food scene, with locally owned and operated restaurants and food makers supporting elements of our local food economy.
In addition to the City’s physical and cultural assets, its workforce remains a top economic driver. The City manages and supports numerous programs - including Providence/Cranston Workforce Solutions and the American Job Center, First Source, the Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise Program (M/WBE), the Providence Business Loan Fund (PBLF), and apprenticeship and M/WBE requirements included in Tax Stabilization Agreements - to ensure City-wide equitable access to high-quality jobs that provide life-sustaining careers. According to the 2020 US Census, Providence is home to nearly 84,000 currently employed adults, a number that has increased by almost 7% in the past decade. Most of Providence’s workforce is employed within city limits.
Providence is also home to 8 colleges, universities, and satellite campuses. The City must continue to support and link to the strengths of its academic institutions. Knowledge and technology transfers from higher education to the innovation economy, local start-ups as well as mature industries in health care, manufacturing and service industries require nurturing, collaboration, and retention of recent graduates to support economic growth and diversity and provide paths for upward mobility.
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Providence is well-positioned to become a major economic hub regionally, as it offers residents a higher quality of life at a lower price point than other New England cities. Recognizing this opportunity, the City has revamped its bond-funded Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and earned hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to invest in vibrant public spaces and amenities such as public art, improved infrastructure and connectivity, greater tree canopy cover, and other beautification efforts. Through the CIP, the city has made and continues to make investments in physical infrastructure like streets and sidewalks, including amenities for businesses like street furniture and trees. Also, the city regulates on-street parking in business areas to support businesses. Providence is fortunate to have excellent quality and quantity of clean water, and citywide access to adequate natural gas, power and broadband. These investments cultivate a positive quality of life and showcase Providence as an attractive destination to live, work, and play. Quality of life improvements also encourage business and capital influx, while bolstering Providence’s national and international profile. By adopting smart, equitable strategies that build upon its unique assets, Providence is growing an economy that is more varied, resilient, and attractive to businesses and investors, while strengthening its ability to withstand economic shock.
Objective ED 1: Invest in key sectors including the Blue Economy, Health & Life Sciences, Arts & Culture, Tourism & Hospitality, Food
Strategies:
A. Work with anchor institutions to align their growth with economic development targets, in addition to their academic pursuits. B. Pursue funding from relevant federal agencies for the attraction and growth of these industries. C. Combine city and state efforts to ensure that maximum resources are available to prospective industries. D. Ensure that marketing efforts are focused on highlighting the success in these key sectors to build Providence’s related brand. E. Invest in Providence’s waterfront for economic growth. F. Promote the continued growth of the I-195 District and its cluster of life-sciences, blue economy, and other businesses and start-ups.
Objective ED 2: Ensure that Providence is the best-run city for businesses and residents
Strategies:
A. Make long-term investments in city infrastructure including streets and sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Through the city’s CIP, the city has proposed to invest up to $8M in street safety and transportation improvements and up to $25M in sidewalk improvements through fiscal year 2031. B. Strive to assign constituent complaints to the responsible department within one business day and to respond to most complaints within one week. C. Partner with businesses in commercial corridors to address quality of life issues. D. Simplify planning and permitting processes to ensure that projects that are in compliance with city regulations can move quickly to implementation in less than the statutorily mandated timelines for approval. E. Work with the City Council to evaluate and support TSAs and other economic tools that align with economic development goals. F. Study and implement reductions to commercial tax rates to ensure Providence’s business environment is competitive. If possible, reduce the commercial tax rate to levels that are equal to or less than other communities in the region. G. Invest in strong public schools, as workers moving to and investing in Providence need thriving schools and communities for their families to engage in. H. Enforce regulations so that all businesses are playing on a level playing field and complying with local environmental and other laws. To reach this goal, the City will—to the extent possible— increase enforcement staffing levels.
Objective ED 3: Support & grow our small and micro business community
Strategies:
A. Provide dedicated customer service to Providence's small and micro businesses, providing the same level of resources and connectivity to locally owned and operated businesses as we would to attract new and large businesses. B. Support MWBE businesses to become certified and compete in local city procurements. C. Invest in high quality local business support programs. D. Work with business incubators to coordinate approaches and implement strategies to incentivize new businesses to stay in Providence. E. Ensure city procurements are designed in ways that allow locally owned and small and micro businesses and MWBE business to compete with larger, well-established companies. F. Differentiate between small businesses and micro businesses, with micro businesses being businesses that consist of ten employees or less.
Objective ED 4: Facilitate access to capital for new and growing businesses
Strategies:
A. Utilize the Providence Business Loan Fund to support a diverse community of small and micro businesses. B. Prioritize the allocation of funding to the Providence Redevelopment Agency for gap funding of priority projects. C. Partner with organizations like the RI Black Business Association and the Latino Chamber of Commerce and others to ensure we are closing the racial wealth gap and investing in and providing support to businesses run by people of color in our communities.
Objective ED 5: Invest in and develop our workforce
Strategies:
A. Utilize federal workforce dollars to invest in career pathways programs that result in family sustaining jobs. B. Establish a vision and plan for the city’s First Source program to ensure that Providence residents have access to today’s jobs. C. Establish core learning standards across all city-funded youth employment programs. D. Link industry partners to PPSD CTE programs. E. Work with local institutions of higher education to incentivize graduates with high demand credentials to stay in Providence.
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GOAL: Grow, improve, and preserve Providence’s housing stock to expand affordable, accessible, healthy, and sustainable housing options for all residents.
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The City of Providence is deeply committed to making housing more accessible and affordable, and ensuring that all residents have the opportunity to live in decent, safe, and price-appropriate housing. The City has a responsibility to ensure that its policies encourage a wide range of housing; do not impede housing production; encourage maintenance and preservation of the existing housing stock; increase housing choice; and provide assistance to enable all residents of Providence to live in safe, habitable homes.
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The City of Providence commissioned its first Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy in 2020, a plan which sought to build upon past and present efforts to craft a concise vision for housing production in Providence. This study, conducted by a national consulting team, included a thorough real estate market, socioeconomic, and financial feasibility study to understand current and projected housing need in the City (2020–2030). Utilizing this data analysis and community input, the Strategy laid out a 10-year plan to boost housing production in the City via programmatic changes, new funding strategies, recommended policy changes, and recommended new programs to be explored.
Additionally, every five years, the City conducts an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, a federally-required planning effort which seeks to identify any barriers to fair housing choice in the jurisdiction so that the City can identify and pursue appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified or eliminate such impediments.
The City must encourage a dramatic increase in the production of new housing over the next 20 years to meet the needs of Providence’s growing population. Within this 20-year timeframe, the condition and suitability of the City’s aging housing stock will also have to be addressed through redevelopment and rehabilitation.
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The real estate market in Providence has seen significant fluctuations influenced by local and national economic trends as well as the global pandemic. Since 2015, Providence’s housing market experienced steady price appreciation, driven by factors such as job growth, low mortgage rates, and a relative affordability compared to nearby cities like Boston. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges and disruptions to the housing market. While there was initial market uncertainty, Providence, like many other markets, saw a surge in demand for single-family homes and a shift towards remote work prompted some individuals and families to seek out larger homes or homes in less densely populated neighborhoods. Concurrently, Providence attracted new residents who left larger cities yet desired to inhabit an urban context that provided a walkable neighborhood with proximity to arts, culture, cuisine, and vitality.
Demand for housing in Providence remains strong overall, fueled by a combination of factors including population growth, revitalization efforts, and the presence of universities and healthcare institutions attracting students, faculty, and medical professionals. Numerous challenges have exacerbated affordability concerns for many residents, including limited housing stock and land availability and rising construction costs and materials shortages, which have led to reduced housing production, especially in certain price ranges. Additionally, economic uncertainties and external factors like changes in mortgage rates and tax policies have influenced buyer behavior and market dynamics.
Providence’s housing market is experiencing significant cost increases. At +9.5%, the sale value increase in housing prices in Providence is 6% higher than the overall state increase. Both values have doubled in the yearly appreciation value at the end of 2021. In 2023 alone, the median sale of a single-family house increased at an annual average of 7.7% and rental prices increased 7.5%. The 2023 average cost of rent in Providence is $2,074 per month, and median sale for a single-family home is $330,000.
The rise in housing prices, combined with the decreased total number of homeowners and increase in population has forced a squeeze on the housing market. The citywide vacancy rate in 2020 was 2.6%, a historic low. However, several neighborhoods are still challenged by high rates of foreclosure, vacancy and abandonment.
Providence’s housing stock grew approximately 5% to 75,257 units from 2010–2020, while the overall population grew over 7%. In 2023, 60% of Providence households were renters and 40% owned their home. 2023 estimates show that over 33% of Providence home-owners and 46% of renters are cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing expenses. As of 2022, 14.3% of housing units in Providence had an affordability restriction of at least 30 years, which exceeds the 10% minimum of the Rhode Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act.
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In recent years, the city has seen a significant increase in the construction of single and multi-family residences, both infill development on vacant lots and rehabilitation of existing structures. City permits show an increase of 3,957 units from 2015 to early 2024. However, historic development levels in prior decades have resulted in a supply shortage and growing rates of housing cost burden.
Downtown Providence is both a residential neighborhood as well as a commercial destination. Some office-to-housing conversions are expected in the next few years, however, opportunities are limited by floorplate configurations and the success of early conversion initiatives in decades past. As exemplified by the lingering attempt to reposition the iconic “Superman Building,” construction costs and a menagerie of grants, low-interest loans, tax treaties and tax credits continue to be insufficient to move the project beyond the planning phase. A number of the colleges and universities in Providence have built new dormitories and/or converted existing buildings to dormitory use, but growing enrollments continue to increase demand for off-campus rental housing on nearby neighborhoods.
As of the 2021 Comprehensive Housing Strategy, 60% of the City’s households earned less than 80% of area median income, meeting the federal definition of “low- and moderate-income” to qualify for many U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”)-funded housing programs (such as Section 8). In 2021, more than 29% of the City’s households earned less than 30% of AMI, which is considered “extremely low income.” 64% of Providence households (as of 2021) were considered “cost-burdened” (paying more than 30% of their gross income for housing and essential utilities), placing them at greater risk of displacement and housing instability. This is a 15% increase since 2010. Almost a quarter of Providence households (24%) were “severely cost-burdened” (paying more than 50% of their gross income on housing costs). While housing and other costs have risen in recent years, the median income of City residents has remained relatively stagnant.
Demand for special needs housing has increased locally and is projected to continue to grow. Providence residents who are living with multiple disabilities has increased in recent years, and consistent with regional and national trends, the City’s population continues to skew older, meaning more residents who may require modifications to their homes or alternative housing types in order to safety and affordably age-in-place.
For Providence to retain and attract businesses and workers, the City must offer an ample supply and wide variety of housing types for people across the income spectrum. The City must also work to link the types of housing available to the types of jobs available and work to develop housing in areas near transit to create more affordable living for those working in Providence. An adequate supply of workforce housing is crucial to attracting quality jobs to Providence. It is also crucial to retaining existing residents. In addition to ensuring that there is affordable housing for those who need it, the city must have housing available for young professionals including those with moderate and higher incomes.
Without housing for all, the city will continue to experience out-migration, “brain drain,” and displacement of long-time residents. Cuts in entitlement funding sources year-over-year also make it more difficult for community development corporations (CDCs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and other developers to develop new affordable and supportive housing. The competitive nature of the housing market has also impacted the availability of affordable housing, as many rental property owners have chosen to rent to students by bedroom rather than families to maximize rents charged per unit. Affordable housing also needs to be distributed equitably throughout the city. Developing mixed-income neighborhoods is critical to the future economic sustainability of the city as a whole.
High property tax burden for homeowners in the city can make it difficult for property owners, especially seniors on fixed incomes, to retain their homes, and commercial property taxes (the highest rates in the State) are often passed to tenants via rents. In 2023, commercial tax rates paid by apartment buildings with six or more units were decreased by 4% in part to alleviate upward pressure on rents.
Providence, like other major cities with tight rental markets, higher home median values, and median rental prices, experienced an unprecedented rise in homelessness (70% increase since 2020 according to HUD 2023 Point-in-Time data). Ability to shelter and rehouse constituents efficiently is predicated on the City having an adequate supply of supportive housing options, such as shelters, recovery housing, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing for those with higher service needs, ideally integrated within an array of neighborhoods with access to transit and amenities. To that end, this Comprehensive Plan update eases restrictions on siting transitional shelters and group homes, enabling these facilities to locate in residential and mixed-use zones by right.
Almost 90 percent of Providence’s housing is over 50 years old. These structures run the gamut from single family homes to larger apartment buildings. Ongoing investment in these buildings is required to avoid decline and decay. Focus must be paid to preserve Providence’s unique, historic housing stock to promote healthy living conditions. Due to the age of the housing stock, lead paint hazards are a significant issue and pose health and safety issues for many families.
Over the last ten years federal and state resources for developing affordable housing had been largely stable. However, in most recent years, the federal allocation of Community Development Block Grant and HOME funding to the City has been decreasing. The City and State must use its funds more efficiently and pursue new funding sources and innovative partnerships, such as housing bonds and other tools. In addition to the reduction in funding provided to the City, the cost of developing housing has dramatically increased. The state legislature’s modification of the state historic tax credit program, combined with the overall state of the economy, has slowed the preservation and redevelopment of historic structures in Providence. The City expects the federal share of housing development costs to continue to decrease over the next 20 years.
The City is committed to balancing a steady growth of housing supply with measures to create, preserve, and protect affordability on the face of unprecedented rising costs. The Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy details the vision and priorities of the City in addressing pressing housing needs in Providence. The City has incorporated many of the objectives and strategies of the Strategy into this comprehensive plan, including identification of new funding streams. In addition to these strategies informed by the Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy study, the City will prioritize supplementary anti-displacement strategies such as inclusionary zoning, securing protections for those at-risk of displacement, and proactively monitoring affordable units to ensure long-term residents of Providence are not displaced.
The City utilizes its annual HUD entitlement grants, HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to address housing rehabilitation and construction for low-moderate income populations. The City receives approximately $5M in CDBG and $1.5M in HOME annually and will continue to braid these limited resources with other public and private funding sources to amplify impact.
The City is also committed to providing affordable housing through the Providence Housing Trust, administered by the Providence Redevelopment Agency (PRA). The Housing Trust provides resources to create, rehabilitate, and preserve affordable housing throughout Providence. Funds from the Housing Trust may be used for acquisition and development of affordable units. The fund also provides flexibility to ensure that projects move forward by providing critical gap financing via bridge or permanent loans. In 2020, the Providence City Council capitalized the Trust Fund through 10% of annual Tax Stabilization revenues. This revenue also enables the PRA to bond to capitalize the Trust (the first $24.75M bond closed in 2021). Treasury State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds were also recently used to further capitalize the fund. These initial investments are expected to generate close to 1,000 new units of housing by 2025.
In 2023, the City also created a rehabilitation Revolving Loan fund via Housing Court fine revenue to provide lending for correction of code violations. This new fund is targeted to properties prosecuted or violated for code deficiencies with a demonstrated financial hardship.
People want to live in Providence even if they do not work here. Post-pandemic, remote work or hybrid work has further attracted professionals to Providence. Residential development in areas such as Downtown builds upon our historic housing stock, making Providence a desirable place to live.
The most significant source for affordable housing development in Rhode Island remains the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program, a federal program created by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 as an alternative method of funding housing for low- and moderate-income households which has been in operation since 1987. Rhode Island receives the small state allocation, which is approximately $3M in “9%” LIHTCs. These tax credits are used to leverage private capital into new construction or acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable housing. In Providence, LIHTCs are used to create and preserve rental housing in many neighborhoods.
In 2023, the State of Rhode Island also introduced a pilot “State Low Income Housing Tax Credit,” which will provide up to $30M in tax credits to qualified projects per year.
The City will continue to target its gap financing to many projects that leverage these state and federal credits.
Revitalize, modernize, and preserve Providence’s housing stock.
Strategies:
A. Encourage the retention and revitalization of the existing housing stock and discourage the demolition of housing units. B. Strictly enforce property maintenance codes and encourage housing rehabilitation by providing funds for repairs to existing structures. C. Enhance and expand housing improvement loan and grant funds available for critical safety repairs and correction of code deficiencies. D. Use the Lead Safe Providence Program to provide low-barrier, no-cost lending for lead-based paint hazard mitigation and provide other health and safety upgrades to eligible Providence rental properties throughout the City’s neighborhoods. E. Use techniques such as land banking, land assemblage and strategic acquisition by the Providence Redevelopment Agency to develop affordable and mixed-income housing while revitalizing residential structures and blighted areas. F. Increase environmental enforcement of vacant and blighted lots. G. Utilize the Providence Housing Trust Fund and HUD entitlement grants to preserve properties with expiring affordability covenants, and to acquire and deed-restrict naturally occurring affordable housing. H. Pair assistance types cited above with rental restrictions to discourage displacement. I. Expand knowledge of, access to, and investment in energy efficiency and weatherization programs that aim to both decarbonize buildings and lower energy costs for low-income residents.
Support the creation of new ownership and rental housing citywide at all price points.
Strategies:
A. Provide for diversity in the type, density and location of housing within the city to provide an adequate supply of safe, sanitary housing at price levels appropriate to the financial capabilities of all city residents. B. Promote a diverse housing market to meet increasingly specialized housing requirements including elderly, disabled, and student population. C. Ensure and develop homeownership and rental opportunities for all income groups. D. Encourage the development of housing in rehabilitated older commercial buildings and in new structures. High-quality adaptive reuse of mills and offices offer opportunity for revitalization. E. Encourage the development of housing opportunities for artists and craftspeople in old commercial and industrial buildings that enable artists to live and work in the unit. F. Enable and encourage the development of accessory dwelling units and “missing middle” housing types that have the potential to increase residential density and add units, while preserving neighborhood character and design standards. G. Encourage the development of housing on existing and potential transit corridors. H. Focus on the rehabilitation of foreclosed and/or blighted multi-family houses for affordable owner-occupied rental housing or CBO-owned rental housing.
I. Encourage the development of housing for residents at all points of the income spectrum, low, moderate and high.
J. Encourage and support equal access to housing throughout the city for all people regardless of race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, or physical or mental ability.
K. Work with Rhode Island Housing and Department of Housing to preserve affordable housing throughout the city.
L. Work with Providence Housing Authority to modernize and redevelop public housing assets with the goal of preserving and expanding the number of long-term low-income and affordable housing units.
M. Continue to support and establish new programs that encourage developers to build housing that is affordable to all, including by adopting inclusionary zoning measures that are calibrated with tax and subsidy policy changes to enhance development feasibility.
N. Develop a process to streamline the permitting process for developers of affordable and workforce housing.
O. Support for-profit and non-profit organizations and encourage their collaboration for the active development of affordable housing.
P. Develop programs and regulations to increase the development of affordable housing throughout the city, particularly in neighborhoods identified as having limited housing choice.
Q. Require colleges and universities to develop plans for additional on-campus student housing.
R. Continue to study and implement best practices in anti-displacement strategies and work with residents and neighborhood organizations to address concerns about resident displacement.
S. Ensure processes related to tax stabilization agreements and other tax incentives are clear, predictable and designed to incentivize development at all price levels.
T. Work with Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to conduct an analysis of displacement risk across the city to understand which neighborhoods are most vulnerable and ensure they are prioritized for affordable housing development.
U. Advocate for stronger tenant protections for renters who are defined as being the most vulnerable to displacement.
V. Work with RIPTA to ensure housing affordability is linked to the development of new and existing transit corridors.
Promote the maintenance and development of supportive housing and facilities to ensure that all residents with special needs have access to safe and affordable housing in all neighborhoods.
Strategies:
A. Encourage programs that will increase the supply of accessible housing in the City.
B. Expand or partner with programs that allow elderly homeowners who wish to age in place to modify their homes.
C. Work with the owners of subsidized elderly housing complexes to maintain the buildings as affordable housing for the City’s elderly residents.
D. Encourage and support the rehabilitation of housing units to make them accessible.
E. Provide incentives to developers to encourage the construction of accessible housing units. Encourage and preference those projects applying for Providence Housing Trust or other city subsidies which utilize universal design.
F. Encourage and support the creation of permanent supportive housing for persons with special needs.
G. Encourage the development of programs that will assist the homeless in acquiring permanent residences.
H. Support the continued operation of emergency shelters including by enacting land use and zoning changes that allow emergency shelters, transitional shelters, and special needs facilities of appropriate size by right in residential and mixed-use areas.
I. Support agencies that provide housing and supportive services to homeless persons and families.
Ensure that all city policies addressing homelessness and homelessness encampments on public property follow the guidelines outlined by the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.
J. Adopt policies supporting the City’s unhoused residents including but not limited to providing temporary use permits for emergency shelters, improving outreach and social services to encampments, developing permanent housing options, ensuring access to mental health and substance use treatments, or other innovative solutions in housing, safety, and public health.
Promote high quality residential design throughout the City.
Strategies:
A. Encourage energy-efficient residential design and construction through the use of LEED, Energy Star and other green building standards.
B. Encourage the decarbonization of residential buildings through best practice regulations and initiatives including expanding energy efficiency programs, encouraging heat pumps, requiring energy performance disclosures, and discouraging gas hookups in new construction, with emphasis on programs that prioritize investment in disadvantaged communities.
C. Prepare for more frequent extreme weather events by studying and implementing best practice resilient housing design standards and stormwater management practices (e.g. increased permeable surfaces) that address conditions including sea-level rise, riverine and nuisance flooding, and extreme heat.
D. Create design standards for quality residential construction complementary to the character and qualities of Providence’s historic neighborhoods.
E. Refine regulations for quality residential site design.
F. Develop a pattern book of pre-approved residential designs and plan sets based on Providence’s vernacular architecture, including of two, three, and multi-family dwelling types, “missing middle” housing types, and accessory dwelling units.
G. Determine appropriate residential densities to accommodate growth in areas of change, while valuing the preservation of local communities and their built character.
OBJECTIVE H5: HOUSING AND TRANSIT
Promote the integration of housing and transit services.
Strategies:
A. Amend the zoning ordinance to create nodes to focus medium density and high-density development, including institutions, in transit-oriented development areas along current and future high use transit lines, in line with the State’s Transit Forward 2040 Plan.
B. Work with RIPTA and developers to promote transit-oriented development as a tool for growth in housing and as an economic development.
C. Place new residential developments at locations that increase potential ridership on the transit system and support Providence as the region’s employment and cultural center.
D. Work with RIPTA to locate transit-oriented development nodes near amenities like parks, schools, job centers, and grocery stores to maximize the benefits of the public’s investments to as many households as possible.
OBJECTIVE H6: HOUSING AND THE REGION
Work with the state and other local governments to address housing needs in Providence and throughout the state.
Strategies:
A. Encourage the state to develop special needs and affordable housing in other communities and enforce other municipalities’ compliance with the Low-Moderate Income Housing Act.
B. Encourage the state to continue to create new, dedicated funding sources (such as the State Housing Tax Credit Program launched in 2024) for housing development; with a dedicated percentage of the funds set aside for Providence and other urban core communities.
C. Encourage the state to reinstate the state Historic Tax Credit Program to facilitate further preservation and redevelopment in Providence.
D. Encourage the state to facilitate development within growth areas through targeted financial incentives and zoning requirements.
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GOAL: Provide a range of quality choices for getting around Providence with options that are safe, affordable, convenient, sustainable, and resilient. Strengthen access to opportunity and spaces for community interaction, regardless of mode of travel. Boldly embody our values in Providence’s mobility initiatives and become a leader in people-first mobility.
Providence’s transportation and mobility options not only determine how and where people and materials move throughout the city; they also impact the ways in which residents, visitors, and commuters interact with nearly every facet of their built environment. Multimodal transportation systems, which integrate different forms of transport such as cars, buses, trains, bicycles, and pedestrian paths into a cohesive network, play a crucial role in supporting and sustaining Providence’s quality of life and continued growth.
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In and around Providence, an intricate network of highways, railways, and public transit systems currently link residential neighborhoods, commercial and industrial zones, educational institutions, and recreational areas. This infrastructure supports everything from local businesses and tourism to housing and community services, shaping the city’s economic landscape and the quality of life in every neighborhood. As transportation infrastructure continues to evolve and expand, Providence aims to strengthen access to multimodal transportation that is safe, affordable, convenient, sustainable and resilient.
These improvements offer a range of benefits to enhance quality of life for residents. Improved infrastructure, such as better-lit roads and safer pedestrian paths, reduce car crashes and speeding. Safe and secure mobility options encourage more people to use them, which further enhances safety through increased public presence. Creating an “All Ages and Abilities” bicycle network provides residents and visitors of all demographics, regardless of age or mobility limits, a safe, convenient
and sustainable option for navigating the city. Enhanced transportation and mobility also allow residents to enjoy more free time, greater accessibility, cleaner environments, and more cohesive, integrated communities and neighborhoods.
By improving links between residential areas, business districts, industrial zones, and recreational assets, a multimodal transportation system is key to ensuring Providence is better positioned for resiliency and growth. Cities with modern multimodal systems are attractive to residents, visitors, and businesses. Enhancing Providence’s infrastructure will draw new industry, talent and investment, advancing the City’s goals for furthering economic prosperity and innovation. The City of Providence has outlined numerous strategies to support these developments, including bus service improvements, greater train connection to Boston and TF Green Airport, and infrastructure enhancements throughout the city to improve connectivity and safety for all.
There are subtle but important differences between the terms “transportation” and “mobility”. “Transportation” focuses narrowly on how people and goods move from A to B, whereas “mobility” looks more broadly at how ease and access affect how people and goods move around a city. Transportation networks, policies and infrastructure should provide safe, convenient, and affordable options which allow individuals to move through the city, while helping to reach goals of resiliency, efficiency, safety and affordability. As Providence plans for the coming decades of growth and development, the city’s mobility system must ensure access to the places people need to go, while prioritizing safety, sustainability, and equity.
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A multi-modal transportation system allows residents, visitors, and employees to make the choice about how to move around the city in the way that best suits each individual and trip. In a small, compact city like Providence that is poised for growth, it would be impossible to accommodate new cars with each new resident that chooses to live in the city. For too long, we have been primarily building mobility infrastructure to center car transportation. A multi-modal transportation system that is safe, convenient, and affordable to get around without a personal motor vehicle helps to relieve congestion, improve air quality and enhance the quality of life.
With limited ability to expand roadways or add extensive numbers of new single-occupancy vehicles to the city’s roadways, improving traffic in the city is primarily possible by shifting trips normally taken by car to other modes of transportation. Dependence on private automobiles limits the types of growth and development that can happen in the city due to the requirement to provide large amounts of parking and roadway infrastructure. A multi-modal transportation system limits the need for parking and allows greater density in housing and commercial/retail development, which can also enhance tax revenue to the city.
A multi-modal transportation system also contributes to safety for all road users. Virtually all roadway fatalities and serious injuries involve at least one motor vehicle. Most collisions occur at intersections, where deference is given to the efficiency of moving private vehicles through more quickly rather than ensuring pedestrian safety. When more people are walking, biking or taking the bus, fewer cars are on the road and drivers become more aware of other road users, creating a safer environment especially for those more vulnerable road users.
Multi-modal transportation networks help to decrease carbon emissions and help the city and state reach adopted climate goals. The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with 98% of Rhode Island’s greenhouse gas emissions from transportation generated by private motor vehicles.
A multi-modal transportation system provides additional benefits, including enhanced affordability for residents, improved public health outcomes, and cost savings due to less roadway damage and lower infrastructure costs.
The U.S. Department of Transportation promotes a “Safe System Approach” to mobility as part of its National Roadway Safety Strategy. This approach is widely embraced in the field of transportation planning and engineering, and incorporates six principles:
Death and Serious Injuries are Unacceptable: A Safe System Approach prioritizes the elimination of crashes that result in death and serious injuries. In 2024, Providence committed to Vision Zero, to align our mobility design with zero traffic fatalities or major injuries – not just efficient movement of cars.
Humans Make Mistakes: People will inevitably make mistakes and decisions that can lead or contribute to crashes, but the transportation system can be designed and operated to accommodate certain types and levels of human mistakes and avoid death and serious injuries when a crash occurs.
Humans Are Vulnerable: Human bodies have physical limits for tolerating crash forces before death or serious injury occurs; therefore, it is critical to design and operate a transportation system that is human-centric and accommodates physical human vulnerabilities.
Responsibility is Shared: All stakeholders—including government at all levels, industry, non-profit/advocacy, researchers, and the general public—are vital to preventing fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways.
Safety is Proactive: Proactive tools should be used to identify and address safety issues in the transportation system, rather than waiting for crashes to occur and reacting afterwards.
Redundancy is Crucial: Reducing risks requires that all parts of the transportation system be strengthened, so that if one part fails, the other parts still protect people.
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These principles have become the basis of wide-ly-adopted Vision Zero policies, which the City adopted in 2024, to ensure Providence’s transportation system and policies work to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on its roadways.
In addition to the above national principles, many state and local plans have outlined goals related to mobility in Providence. Notably, the 2020 Providence Great Streets Plan and RIPTA’s 2020 Transit Forward Transit Master Plan contain many recommendations for infrastructure and policy. Other plans also incorporate occasional mention of mobility goals, and many of these plans are referenced below, where pertinent.
The State of Rhode Island’s adopted Long-Range Transportation Plan envisions “a multimodal transportation network that connects people, and communities, provides access to jobs and services, and promotes a sustainable and competitive Rhode Island economy.” The plan identifies five high-level goals, which can be summarized into: support economic growth, promote environmental sustainability, strengthen communities, maintain transportation infrastructure, and connect people and places. The goals and objectives put forward below seek to align City policy with State adopted plans.
When considering mode share in Providence and possible improvements in line with City, State, and Federal goals, it is helpful to compare Providence’s existing “mode split” with national and global benchmarks:
| 2022 LEVEL | NATIONAL CONTEXT | GLOBAL CONTEXT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving alone | 62% | ||
| Carpooling | 8% | Lowest 22% (NYC) | Lowest 12% (Tokyo) |
| Bus | 2% | ||
| Train | 1% | Highest 33% (Union City, NJ) | Highest 53% (Brussels) |
| Walking | 8% | Highest 28% (Cambridge, MA) | Highest 45% (Zaragoza) |
| Bicycling | 1% | Highest 17% (Davis, CA) | Highest 40% (Amsterdam) |
| Taxi or other | 2% | ||
| Working from home | 17% |
Traffic congestion and total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) are influenced both by the percentage of trips occurring by car and a city’s overall population growth. Just to keep traffic congestion the same as Providence’s population grows, the percentage of commuters getting to work alone in a motor vehicle or the total number of trips would need to decrease.
To meet the goals and mandates of the Climate Justice Plan, RI Act on Climate, and other policy documents, transportation emissions will need to be dramatically cut via reduction in VMT through shifts to carbon neutral modes of transport and an increase in the percentage of car trips taken in electric vehicles (EV). The chart below shows the annual tons of carbon dioxide equivalent based on various EV and VMT scenarios:
| EV TRANSITION | SAME TRAFFIC | 10% VMT REDUCTION | 15% VMT REDUCTION | 20% VMT REDUCTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2% of vehicles | 454,500 | 409,000 | 386,300 | 363,600 |
| 5% of vehicles | 443,600 | 399,300 | 377,100 | 354,900 |
| 10% of vehicles | 425,600 | 383,000 | 361,700 | 340,400 |
| 20% of vehicles | 389,400 | 350,400 | 331,000 | 311,500 |
| 40% of vehicles | 317,000 | 285,300 (37% reduction) | 269,500 | 253,600 |
| 80% of vehicles | 172,300 | 155,100 | 146,500 | 137,900 (70% reduction) |
Encourage increased frequency, reliability, and comfort of bus service such that the share of transit trips in Providence increases relative to single-occupancy vehicle trips.
Strategies:
A. Work with RIPTA, RIDOT, and the community to prioritize and implement key transit improvements to encourage transit ridership and address climate goals.
B. Advocate for sufficient funding to not only maintain existing service levels but increase them in line with the recommendations of the state-adopted Transit Master Plan.
C. Advocate for expanded eligibility for free or reduced fare bus passes provided that the overall system is adequately funded.
D. Advocate for increased frequency of bus service in line with the recommendations of the state-adopted Transit Master Plan.
E. Advocate for new bus routes between neighborhoods and stopping at grocery stores, including on Valley Street (N7 in the 2020 Transit Master Plan), along Dean Street from the VA Hospital to RI Hospital (N9), and between Olneyville Square and Eddy Street (N13).
F. Advocate for reduced emissions from buses especially in environmental justice areas through the introduction of more electric buses.
G. Advocate for frequent service on more routes later into the evening.
H. Improve infrastructure to prioritize buses and bus passengers especially on the highest-frequency corridors including the creation of dedicated roadway right-of-way to the exclusive use of buses in high-frequency corridors.
I. Establish and implement clear standards for prioritization of curb uses, including the preference for bus stops, where needed, over on-street parking.
J. Ensure sufficient sidewalk and ADA infrastructure exists at bus stops and to access bus stops.
K. Encourage large employers and institutions to offer subsidized transit passes, including employees of the City of Providence.
L. Ensure that the bus hub feels clean, safe, and welcoming for all users.
M. Focus residential growth around existing high-frequency transit corridors, such as on North Main Street.
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