In Part 1: The Economics of Building More Homes, participants explored housing affordability, Area Median Income (AMI), and what homes cost for people in different occupations.

Ivy Vann covered the real cost of building a starter home with an inclusionary zoning exercise. Participants did hands-on site planning exercises that provided insight into the economics of small-scale housing development, including construction costs, rents, sale prices, and property tax implications. Interactive zoning "stress tests" clarified what can and cannot be built under zoning codes.

Some people see chaos in a fast-moving nonprofit. You see a to-do list.

If bringing order to a growing advocacy org sounds like your kind of challenge, keep reading — Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island is hiring a Chief of Staff.

NWRI is a grassroots network of neighbors advocating to build more homes across the Ocean State. They're growing, and they're looking for the operational backbone of the organization: the right hand to the Executive Director who protects her time, builds the systems that keep everything moving, and stays hands-on and present with the team, at events, and across Rhode Island.

This is a genuine three-part role for a builder. One hour you're designing an operating plan; the next you're chasing down a payroll or process issue. If you hold the big picture and the details at once, exercise sound judgment with discretion, and love creating order and protecting a leader's focus, this could be your role.

We're in the final stretch of the 2026 Legislative Session. Three of Neighbors Welcome's priority bills are making their way through each chamber. Now is the time to let your legislators know you support these bills and urge them to move them forward!

Neighbors Welcome commissioned a public opinion poll conducted by YouGov. In this webinar, representatives from YouGov walked through the survey’s methodology and shared key findings. Following the presentation, a panel of state leaders including Representative June Speakman, Senator Jacob E. Bissaillon, Catherine Taylor of AARP Rhode Island, and Randy Rossi of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns will offered perspectives and responded to the results.

Last week, Executive Director Kristina Brown and board members Claudia Wack and Greg Miller all hit the road for the Northeast gathering of the Welcoming Neighbors Network (“WNN”), an annual convening of pro-homes advocates from around the region. Setting out for Boston, our team was joined by East Providence community advocate, Mélodie Pimentel, who volunteers with (East Providence in Community ("EPiC")) to organize around sustainability and equity issues (including the town’s need for more housing).

Here’s how to take action and get more homes for Rhode Island On April 15th and 16th.

Learn tips on how and why to write an LTE, recommendations on message-tested ways to talk about zoning reform, where and how to submit your letter for publication.

Here’s how to take action and get more homes for Rhode Island!

We’re gearing up for another busy week at the State House. This Tuesday, March 31st, House Committee on Municipal Government & Housing will be hearing three of our bills: Our Technical Fixes bill (H8039) Faith-based Affordable Housing (H7445) and Conversion Incentive (H8142).

On Thursday, April 2nd, the Senate will be hearing our Technical Fixes bill (S2907) and Small-lot Size Reform bill (S2265).

The best way to get involved is to sign up to provide testimony. Why do you want to see more homes built in your community, and how will this bill help?

Woonsocket Councilor Kristina Fox has introduced a parking reform ordinance that would assist in creating housing along mainstreet. Stay tuned for updates as this proposal moves through the legislative process.

At our recent advocacy meeting we announced a big milestone: Kristina Brown is now our first Executive Director!

We also shared our 2026 housing policy agenda, including:
• Minimum lot size reform
• Parking reform
• Converting vacant offices & schools into housing
• Fixes to existing housing laws
• Faith-based affordable housing (YIGBY)

 since I’ve moved to Warren, my rent has gone up $497 a month. When I sign my new lease, that will be more than $5,000 a year. I’m a single professional, and I’d like to stay in Warren, I like it here, but every year my rent is going up and there doesn’t seem to be any relief at all. . . I’m not even someone who is in low income housing, but I can’t keep up. It’s getting really hard, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen to me.” – Colleen Donnovan, Warren Resident