'Safe Harbor' Program Aims To Curb Evictions In Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, RI — A new program aims to cut down on coronavirus-related evictions in Rhode Island. On Friday, Gov. Gina Raimondo unveiled the "Safe Harbor Housing" program, which partners with the United Way to create an alternative to the traditional eviction process.

Starting Monday, tenants and landlords can apply for the program, which is funded by $7 million of the state's CARES Act funding. Tenants must meet certain income requirement to qualify, and the payments must already be in arrears, meaning payments are delinquent because of the coronavirus pandemic.

If selected, the United Way will work with the tenant and landlord to develop a payment plan, supported by the program's funding. Legal help will be available to tenants at no cost, if they request it. To sign up, tenants are encouraged to call 211.

This is a win-win, Raimondo said, because it gets landlords the payments they seek while keeping vulnerable Rhode Islanders in housing. While it is not a permanent solution, it is a step forward and within her authority as governor. The legislature will likely need to pass legislation for a longer-term solution, which Raimondo said she wholeheartedly supports.