Providence City Council Meeting |March 19th, 2026

And I will say against stubborn forces and money interest and she has not laid down, and so I wanna give you credit and, publicly commit to getting this to the finish line. So I wanna just say that. And, in terms of item six, I also support this ordinance. I'm excited about it. And as many have already shared, I believe the way we galv this housing crisis is through a three pronged approach, increased supply, stabilization, and subsidy.

And this, program here meets the last one, and I think we've already begun the first. And so I look forward to really also making a a serious effort on the second. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Further discussion on items six through 10? Councilman Kunkels.

Thank you, madam president. I just wanna thank my colleagues for their support on this particular ordinance. I just really appreciate it. Every comment that has been made has been just super helpful to this discussion. I think this is going to be an ongoing discussion that we have as a body, and I know we're all gonna hopefully operate in good faith as we talk about everything that is before us.

And I just wanna say thank you for your help and your your sponsorship and your support. We know that people need immediate relief. They need that relief right now. And so that is what this problem is is trying to solve. And, it's gonna go to the people who, again, need it the most.

Direct subsidy, with priority of people between 60 to 80% of AMI if they've got that utility bill or, they've got an emergency payment that they need to make in order to stay in their homes and to prevent people from being displaced. And then for number seven, I just wanna say thank you to councilor Peterson. I know that in my neighborhood, councilor Peterson is a star, because, well, no, seriously, and and and I would say the reason is is because she's really taken the bull by the horns as it relates to these student housing priorities. And I know we've got a lot of work to do along those lines and she's been, I would say arguably this entire term, the preeminent champion of student housing policy. And we sometimes won't always agree.

We might agree to disagree. I think that's a part of the the the the process, but I will say that everything that she has put forth, related to student housing, has been, really thought out and and well intentioned, and she's been working tirelessly this entire term to try to get some of these pieces of legislation passed. So I'm just here to be on the record to say this. On the record, I hope that as a body, we truly, truly help counselor Peterson advance some of these things that have been a priority since the beginning of this term. We're now in year four.

I don't think that in a perfect world, I was there too in my first term where I was so ambitious and I wanted to get everything done and sometimes that's not possible. But I really, really hope, hope that some of the ordinances that she has proposed, we will get across the finish line before this term is up and we help, you know, deliver on those important priorities and promises she has made to her constituents, but also their important priorities for other neighborhoods across the city, including mine. So I just wanna say thank you, councilor Peterson, and I look forward to continuing to work with you on the ordinances that you have put forward. Thank you.

Thank you. Further discussion, six through ten. Councilman Vargas, and then we're all very polite tonight. Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

I don't usually stand because I know my colleagues always say things so well and they always say exactly what's in my heart. But I have to stand right now because I want to reflect back on the first time that I walked into this building and with the heart around housing and really bringing that into the council to really for us to advocate and to make it a priority, to make it a part of our legislation, to be engaged in housing and understanding how we can move housing better. I'm standing here because I'm getting ready to lead the council and I can tell you deep in my heart, I am feeling really good about what has happened especially within this administration and within this period of time around how much the city has invested and thought thought clearly about how do we move how do we make sure that people are staying in their homes, how do we make sure that the homeless are not freezing and dying because they have no shelter? And also, how do we start to really really attack these things, these different things that for years for years and years politicians been kicking it down the road as if it was not important.

We are in this problem, housing crisis because nobody wanted to take it on. Of course we're gonna have different opinions. Of course we're gonna see things differently. Of course, because it's a big thing and not too many people have been able to deal with it. But I wanna say how proud I am of my colleagues and the people I've been serving with because you took it on, it's serious, it's a part of our legislation, it's a part of what we are trying to do for the city and a part of keeping people in their home.

And I can't say how happy I am as I lead the council that this is gonna be left in really great hands and councilwoman Peterson, yours is the toughest between air b n b's and student housing. We gotta figure it out because families need homes too and we need to keep creating families. And how can you create families? How do you have families if you have no home for them? So thank you for allowing me to say that for my colleagues.

Thank you.

Thank you, councilwoman. Councilman Vargas?

Councilman Vargas?

It's only. Yes. Go ahead. Please. Wow.

Hello, everybody. I'm glad that we're here together.

For

the ordinance six, I always give it a little brief for the Providence, Rhode Island. I say Providence, Rhode Island because it's not for the hot state. It's only for the Providence. Give it a little hope. That's why I say hope.

Can you apply for that and also can what can qualify for this that Monica, we can give it we receive, and we give it back. Like, that's what we need. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Councilman Vargas.

Thank you, madam president. I raised a number six because we know that we're going through a crisis, and everybody, my colleagues want to help everyone. But we had to do a balance. Remember the property owners are the one who pay the taxes for this city to run. We had to make a balance, and that's why this ordinance is putting $1,000,000 aside to help those people who really need.

We're not going to pay the full rent, but sometimes you fall short $102,103 $100. It's a huge opportunity for to help our community not to get evicted. And at the same time, we saving the property owners a headache because to evict somebody, it's not easy. It's not easy for the tenant. It's not easy for the property owner neither.

It cost money both ways. And I would like to ask my colleagues to think about it when we put this kinda local laws or city laws called ordinance to think twice. Number six is a good one, and that's why it's going to get referred to hope. Hope means and in Spanish, And I know every single member of this committee have hope for a better life, a better city, a better future. And I'm very proud to support this one, and now it's in the hands of this committee.

Please consider think about it how useful this ordinance will be. But at the same time, let's think about no property taxes, no service. Thank you.

Thank you. Further discussion? Item six through 10.

Councilman Thank you, madam president. I'll keep my remarks brief as most of the important substances has been shared. But I just wanna speak very quickly on seven and six. Adding my my voice to the choir, definitely wanna just share my gratitude and support to councilwoman Peterson for her leadership on this very difficult task. I don't envy any of my colleagues that have a lot of student housing.

There's a lot of challenges. Obviously, you know, some positives, you know, attending parties here and there. I'm sure you guys do. But what I wanna truly say though is that we not only need to support our our colleague in in the passage of this ordinance, but the implementation of it. We have seen in the past, and I'm not gonna get into specifics, my council colleague here passed ordinances and the administration just simply doesn't enforce it for whatever reasons, you know.

And I don't wanna make sure that this ordinance doesn't, know, also become one of those. It's no point of passing an ordinance if the city isn't gonna implement. So whatever we need to do to make sure that this ordinance is fully implemented and enforced, we all need to have councilwoman Petersons back in support on that and I'm truly committed to do that. And for the record, you're a superstar in every award not just. And just quickly on item number six, I just really wanna give my colleague, councilman Gankov, a lot of credit and gratitude for his leadership on this ordinance.

This ordinance is gonna help people that that need the the help the most and and now. As you all are are much aware, I've spent some some years of of my life working with our unhoused neighbors and that's who I think that of of who this is what help the most. Folks that need that little bit of assistance to to get into an apartment or you know might have issues with substance abuse and you know lost a job on a very temporary basis to get back on track. But I also know want to voice some of the other things that have been shared in the sense of this isn't intended to attack or cure or replace the core issue at hand and the core issue at hand is extremely high rents. This isn't gonna lower rents.

This isn't gonna create more housing. What this is gonna do is provide that temporary relief which, like my colleague Roy has mentioned, is part of the multi prong approach that this council has been truly invested in. And I do have some amendment ideas that I will share in committee, but I just wanna close my remarks by saying I think this is very step in in the right direction. It it falls into the priorities of this body. And I also wanna give a lot of gratitude to to my colleague for his leadership on this.

Thank you, madam president.

Thank you, counselor. Further discussion? Item six through 10.

Madam president.

President Pro Tem.

Thank you, madam president. I'll speak on item number seven and number six. Ditto to, the efforts and the strong passionate, representation in your ward, councilwoman Shelley Peterson. I think that, it speaks to the volume of how the dedication that you have. I think it resembles all of our dedication in this body.

And so I think that you have already the support of the majority, so this one's gonna be an easy one at in my committee. Thank you. On number seven, I think, looking at how we all signed on to this because, I think for the first time, we're all behind this because we know we've all acknowledged that we're in a crisis, a crisis that we see it in our neighborhoods. I commend the mayor for quickly acting and proposing this rent this this ordinance or resolution and this plan, and that he already knew what our constituents need and, need to for our communities and our families to get to the next level so that way they don't end up on the street. I think that we didn't have a we didn't need a a a study to figure out that, we need to continue to help our families and our kids in our in our community.

So I commend them for that. I commend all of us for signing on. I commend, also, councilman Gonkov who's also has received that message from us. And as we move forward, seeing the economic challenges that we face in our state, in our country, and then especially during this time that we see that it's gonna get even harder. Imagine, this time around, these proposals are super crucial and that we need to get it right.

That's why I also signed on. And this needs to be a package. We, as a city council, have done tremendously in terms of addressing, some of the housing. Councilman Roy has mentioned and people keep saying that we need the three. More housing, subsidy.

What was the third one? Stabilization. But I also need, the and that we continue to work on is the help the homeowners, need for those who have been living in their homes and need that help with that boiler. We need to continue to replenish that money so that way they can remain in their homes. So it's a package.

And lastly, as we continue to debate and, look at the studies and look at the numbers, just look at how our medium income in the districts that we represent. And then ask yourself, who do we represent? And I hope that as we continue to deliberate during this crisis, that we keep those things in mind. Thank you.

Thank you. Further discussion? Six through 10. Hearing none. All in favor?

Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion passes. Madam Clerk, please refer item six to the Committee on Finance, seven to the Committee on Hope, eight to the Committee on Finance, sorry, eight, nine, and 10 to the Committee on Finance.

So noted. Item 11.

Madam president.

Majority leader.

Watching to weigh the reader of item 11 and pass on a voice vote.

Second, madam president.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on item 11? Hearing none, madam clerk, please open the vote.

Madam president, before she open it, could we have that read into the