Crossroads Rhode Island rental assistance program granted $750,000

Thanks to a $750,000 allocation from the General Assembly, Crossroads Rhode Island is now able to provide rental assistance to lower-income individuals and families in the Providence area. The new funds are making a big difference already in helping distressed tenants find new life in the rental market.

Providence residents who have faced homelessness due to eviction may have had few options for getting help with their rent on a new rental unit. Often this means choosing between living in a motel or car or staying with friends and family. Those who had no other choice have been living in the Family Room temporarily until they could be placed into a transitional housing option.

The $750,000 allocation allows Crossroads Rhode Island to move many of these temporary residents into regular apartments. The organization has been providing rental assistance to these households so that they can move into a more permanent home.

Case managers at Crossroads Rhode Island work with Providence residents to determine their housing needs and match them with the best option. Sometimes this means subsidizing their rent through an apartment or tenement house on the regular rental market.

The organization also provides placement into the supportive housing communities that they administer. These include the Harold Lewis House, Kingstown Crossings I and II, Linwood I, Travelers Aid Housing and Washington Street. The Housing Tower also provides apartments for men and women who are homeless.

The Rapid Re-Housing Program is primarily concerned with helping lower income individuals and families transition out of shelters and temporary housing and into permanent apartments. The extra funding provided by the General Assembly has given the organization the flexibility to move many more applicants into permanent rental housing.

If you are a lower income Providence resident who is facing eviction or homelessness, you may find more about the Crossroads Rhode Island rental assistance program by calling 401-521-2255 or by walking in at 160 Broad St. in Providence.

Crossroads Rhode Island is the primary rental assistance program serving Providence. The organization was originally incorporated as Travelers Aid of Rhode Island back in 1894, making it one of the oldest organizations in the state. Since its founding, the organization has helped households escape from poverty and financial ruin. It is one of a few nonprofit organizations that provide rental assistance in Rhode Island.