Officials hold ribbon cutting for new affordable multi-family homes in East Providence

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Mayor Bob DaSilva, Stop Wasting Abandoned Property Executive Director Carla DeStefano, and other officials gathered for the ribbon cutting of three newly constructed affordable multi-family homes.

The structures are two-family homes, with a three-bedroom unit and a one or two bedroom apartment, which allow for the homeowners to make additional income.  They sit on an old school property on Hoppin Avenue in a new mixed neighborhood.

The affordable homes were priced at $239,000 to allow for low to moderate income families become homeowners. According to a spokesperson for the city, only 59% of Rhode Island families own their own homes. 

DaSilva said the three homes were sold to homeowners who met the guidelines, in which two were sold to East Providence residents.

“With the help of Swap we transformed a former abandoned property into new affordable owner occupied housing. Thank you to all who made this happen and came out to celebrate this project with us,” DaSilva said.