​“If we’re not centering the people who have been most impacted by disinvestment, or gentrification, or whatever — then what’s the point of any of this work? It’s just performative.”

-Smith Hill/Ward 12 resident

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Through our ongoing community engagement, several local priorities and ongoing initiatives have consistently surfaced in community conversations with residents. These include: 

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Revitalizing Providence Neighborhoods: The Smith Street Plan 

A collaborative effort to strengthen the Smith Hill neighborhood through improvements in streetscape and mobility, cultural and arts planning, education, safety, health and supportive services, and housing and economic development. 

• Smith Street Revitalization Plan - City of Providence (published 2020)

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Preserving Providence Neighborhoods: The Impact of Off-Campus Student Housing

Concerns continue to grow regarding gentrification, displacement, demolition, the lack of affordable housing, and the everyday quality of life for neighborhood residents — issues that many feel have been increasingly exacerbated by the expansion of off-campus student housing. ​​​​​​

• 2025 Most Endangered Places - Providence Preservation Society  ​

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Providence College has launched a new Neighborhood Concern Report Form for nearby residents to report quality-of-life issues directly to the Office of Public Safety. 

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Related City and Institutional Planning Initiatives 

Residents frequently expressed these concerns in connection with broader initiatives, including: 

• Payment in Lieu of Taxes: Community Contributions Program - City of Providence (approved 2023)

• Providence Comprehensive Plan - City of Providence (approved 2024)

• Providence Housing Crisis Task Force Report - Providence City Council (published 2025)

• Institutional Master Plan - Providence College (under review by the City of Providence 2025)​​​​​

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Building Long-term Community Capacity: The Central Providence Roadmap 

A 10-year, community-driven vision to improve health, housing, education, economic opportunity, and civic power through coordinated, resident-led action and investment. ​​

• Central Providence Roadmap - Central Providence Unidos & One Neighborhood Builders (published 2023, 2025)

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To learn more about the Roadmap — including the Nine Neighborhood Fund and the Central Providence Community Loan Fund — visit Once Central Providence by One Neighborhood Builders.​​​