When the call for applicants opened in May 2024, we never anticipated such an overwhelming response: 383 applications for just 13 homes at Ivy Place, our mixed-use affordable housing development located at Ivy Street and Taunton Avenue in East Providence. However, given Rhode Island’s pressing affordable housing crisis, such demand is no surprise.
On November 20, many of the 47 lottery-eligible families gathered at the East Providence City Hall for the long awaited lottery. Before qualifying for the lottery, each family worked closely with our HomeOwnership team, receiving personalized counseling and support to prepare for the responsibilities of homeownership. At NWBRV, we believe education is a cornerstone of successful homeownership and we are proud to have provided this support to over 150 eligible applicants. Watching our mission come to life through the lottery winners was truly a rewarding experience.
East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva, opened the Lottery by remarking that Ivy Place “is the kind of development that any municipality would be proud of…What I’ve learned being mayor, is that people want this. They want affordable housing opportunities. If it wasn’t for everyone coming together, we wouldn’t be here today. We’re so excited 13 new families will be calling East Providence home.”
Joined by NWBRV’s Co-Director of Real Estate Development Bill Lewis, and Director of HomeOwnership & Asset Building Daynah Williams, Mayor Bob went on to draw each of the 47 lottery-eligible families. The event featured two lottery categories—Live/Work and Townhouse units. To ensure confidentiality, Unique IDs were used to identify participants. Winners were selected and documented live on a flip chart, and a waitlist was created for eligible participants who were not immediately chosen. While the room was fairly quiet, with attendees waiting on baited breath for their Unique ID to be called, one family in particular captured our hearts, with mom, dad, and a young son in attendance. Reacting with all of the happiness that this season has to offer, the Watson family truly embodied why we do what we do here at NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley.
“We will never be able to explain how much this changed our lives,” shared Laura Watson.
We look forward to supporting these families through the next steps in the home buying process. East Providence hopes to welcome home our lottery winners home this January!
The 13 units–nine of which face Ivy Place, while the remaining four line Taunton Avenue–are a mixture of residential and townhome style units, with the ones located on Taunton Avenue boasting a storefront, live/work style of living.
This is an incredible demonstration of why we need more of this, why we need more of these opportunities. We hope to partner in the future, to get more of this done. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to all the numbers drawn, to those who now have the opportunity to own their own home.”
East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva
As housing prices statewide have hit record highs, East Providence, in particular, has seen a 44% increase in housing prices, with single family homes across the Ocean State averaging close to $310,000. Ivy Place, a part of the East Providence Waterfront Commission’s Taunton Avenue sub-district, will be a life changing housing development for our new lottery winners. With the City boasting a long history of offering realistic homeownership opportunities, Ivy Place will simultaneously help alleviate the housing shortage while boosting economic opportunities in the area.
Four of the Ivy Place units were reserved for households earning up to 60% of HUD’s Area Median Income. Six of the units were available to households earning up to 80% of HUD’s Area Median Income. Three were available for households earning up to 100% of HUD’s Area Median Income.
If any chosen lottery winners are unable to achieve proper financing, we are prepared to move forward with the next eligible waitlist applicant. As of now, six waitlist members have been notified! We also have two homes on the open market, one for a family requiring an ADA unit with an elevette and one live/work unit for families earning between 80% and 100% of the area median income. Please contact Daynah Williams at dwilliams@neighborworksbrv.org if interested.
Ivy Place exists thanks to financial support from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Rhode Island Housing Investment Fund, East Providence Waterfront Commission, Federal Home Loan Bank Bank of Boston and BankRI.
