October 2, 2006 Contact: Sue Baker
For Immediate Release
Avedisian endorses Question 9 on statewide ballot
WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian announced today his support for Question 9 on the statewide ballot, a referendum that would authorize the state to issue bonds up to $50 million to increase Rhode Island’s amount of affordable housing.
“Increasing the amount of safe and affordable housing has been an area of critical concern for my administration,” Avedisian said. “By working cooperatively with our non-profit partners, securing federal grants to eliminate the hazards of lead paint from properties and educating the public about programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, we’ve been able to significantly add to our affordable housing stock and to help residents become homeowners. Approval of Question 9 would only help us – and other communities – in our efforts.”
Among the reasons he’s supporting the referenda, Avedisian said, are that Question 9 would: help to build new homes and rehabilitate current structures; mandate, by law, that homes built with the bond money stay affordable for at least 30 years; and generate another estimated $450 million in financing from the federal government and private investors.