Affordable Housing In Providence
Providence County,
Rhode Island
139 Low Income Apartment Communities In Providence
University Heights
Lockwood Plaza Apartments
Housing Authorities that serve Providence
| Housing Authority | Programs |
|---|---|
| Providence Housing Authority | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing |
Guide To Affordable Housing in Providence, Rhode Island
There are 139 low income housing apartment communities offering 10,417 affordable apartments for rent in Providence, Rhode Island.
Income Based Apartments in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence features 7,179 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Providence, Rhode Island
There are 3,090 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Providence.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Providence, Rhode Island
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Providence landlords $700 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $400 towards rent in Providence.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Providence, Rhode Island for a two-bedroom apartment is between $968 and $1,183.
2020 Providence, Rhode Island Fair Market Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards
Fair Market Rents can be used to better understand the average housing costs of an area. Fair Market Rents are used by HUD to establish payment and rent standards for federal rental assistance programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
| Studio | One BR | Two BR | Three BR | Four BR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent | $794 | $898 | $1,075 | $1,340 | $1,591 |
| Payment Standard Range | $715 to $873 | $808 to $988 | $968 to $1,183 | $1,206 to $1,474 | $1,432 to $1,750 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Providence, RI Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 139 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 10,417 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 7,179 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 65.14% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 2.58 |
| Average Household Size | 2.68 |
| Median Household Income | $37,501 ±$1,625 |
| Median Rent | $913 ±$16 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 50.88% ± 2.17pp |
| Total Population | 178,680 |
Population and Household Demographics
Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island with a population of 178,680. There are 61,481 households in the city with an average household size of 2.68 persons. 65.14% of households in Providence are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Providence
The median gross income for households in Providence is $37,501 a year, or $3,125 a month. The median rent for the city is $913 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Providence, a household making less than $3,043 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 50.88% of households who rent are overburdened in Providence.
Area Median Income In Providence
Affordable housing program eligibility is always determined by one's income. Each household's income is compared to the incomes of all other households in the area. This is accomplished through a statistic established by the government called the Area Median Income, most often referred to as AMI. The AMI is calculated and published each year by HUD.
HUD often uses an area larger than a city to determine the AMI because HUD anticipates those searching for housing will look beyond individual cities during their housing search. For Providence, the AMI is calculated from all households within Providence County.
In Providence, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $87,000
Most affordable housing programs determine eligibility based on the percent of AMI a given household's income is. Among the programs that determine eligibility based on the AMI are Section 8, HOME, LIHTC, Section 515, 202 and 811.
Rental Assistance in Providence
Rental assistance is a type of housing subsidy that pays for a portion of a renter’s monthly housing costs, including rent and tenant paid utilities. This housing assistance can come in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based Section 8 contracts, public housing, USDA Rental Assistance (in Section 515 properties) as well as HUD Section 202 and 811 properties for elderly and disabled households.
Income Qualifications for HUD Rental Assistance in Providence
| Income | 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% of Median | $18,300 | $20,900 | $23,500 | $26,200 | $30,680 | $35,160 | $39,640 | $44,120 |
| 50% of Median | $30,450 | $34,800 | $39,150 | $43,500 | $47,000 | $50,500 | $53,950 | $57,450 |
| 80% of Median | $48,750 | $55,700 | $62,650 | $69,600 | $75,200 | $80,750 | $86,350 | $91,900 |
