Less than half of the candidates running for Providence City Council across all 15 Wards attended the PVD Housing Crisis City Council Candidate Forum on Wednesday evening. Hosted by DARE (Direct Action for Rights and Equality)’s Tenant and Homeowner Association (THA), Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty, George Wiley Center, Housing Works Rhode Island and Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project (RIHAP) among others, candidates were given two minutes each to answer five questions.

Below is the video from the event, broken down by question and candidate.

“Everyone needs a place to live,” said Terri Wright, speaking for the Tenant and Home Owner Association and as a member of DARE’s board of directors. “Having a safe, decent, affordable home should be a right for all, not a privilege.”

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QUESTION 1:

“Do you support the rent stabilization ordinance proposed by DARE’s Tenant and Homeowner Association in order to address rising rents, mass evictions and displacement across the city?”

Seth Yurdin (Democrat) is the incumbent Providence City Councilmember from Ward 1.

Justice Gaines (Democrat) is running for Providence City Council in Ward 1.

None of the candidates for Providence City Council running for the open seat in Ward 2, Helen Anthony, Mark Feinstein or Ryan Holt, attended the forum. All are Democrats.

Incumbent Ward 3 Providence City Councilmember Nirva Lafortune (Democrat), who is running unopposed, did not attend the forum.

Jason Roias is running for Providence City Council in Ward 4 against Nicholas Narducci Jr in the September 12 Democratic Primary. Narducci did not attend the forum.

Aaron Jaehnig is running for Providence City Council in Ward 5 against incumbent JoAnn Ryan. Both Ryan and candidate Steven Cianci did not attend the forum. All are Democrats.

Incumbent Ward 6 Providence City Councilmember Michael Correia (Democrat), who is running unopposed, did not attend the forum.

Incumbent Ward 7 Providence City Councilmember John Iggliozzi, did not attend the forum. His opponent in the Democratic Primary, David Marshall, did not attend the forum. Gaspar Espinoza, running as an Independent, did not attend the forum.

Carlos Diaz is running as an Independent for Providence City Council in Ward 8. David Talan, also running as an Independent, did not attend the forum.

Deya Garcia is challenging incumbent Ward 8 Providence City Councilmember Wilbur Jennings in the Democratic Primary on September 12. James Taylor, also running as a Democrat, did not attend the forum.

Carmen Castillo (Democrat) is the incumbent Ward 9 Providence City Councilmember. Hector Jose, who is challenging Castillo in the Democratic Primary, did not attend the forum. Gerard Catala, who is running as an Independent, arrived in time for the last question (see below). Catala’s candidacy was denied by the Providence Board of Canvassers. He is currently appealing that decision before the Rhode Island Board of Elections.

Luis Aponte is the incumbent Ward 10 Providence City Councilmember. Pedro Espina, who is challenging Aponte in the Democratic Primary, did not attend the forum. Russell Hryzan, an Independent challenger to Aponte, did not attend the forum.

Incumbent Ward 11 Providence City Councilmember Mary Kay Harris (Democrat), is running unopposed.

Democratic candidate Kat Kerwin, who is running unopposed for Ward 12 Providence City Council, did not attend the forum.

Cyd McKenna is running for the Ward 13 Providence City Council open seat as a Democrat.

Rachel Miller is running for the Ward 13 Providence City Council open seat as a Democrat.

Raymond Berarducci III and Leslie Papp II also running for the open seat as Democrats, did not attend the forum.

Incumbent Ward 14 Providence City Council President David Salvatore, did not attend the forum. Anthony Sionni, running as an Independent, did not attend the forum.

Incumbent Ward 15 4 Providence City Councilmember Sabina Matos, did not attend the forum. Oscar Vargas, who is challenging Matos in the Democratic Primary, did not attend the forum.

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QUESTION 2:

“Due to the housing crisis, youth feel stressed and pressured at home, thus dropping out of school to get jobs and pay rent. There’s no extra money or resources at home. Which makes college tuition beyond the means of students. How are you, as a potential city councilmember, going to ensure that the next generation is provided the necessities for educational success?”

Rachel Miller:

Cyd McKenna:

Mary Kay Harris:

Luis Aponte:

Carmen Castillo:

Deya Garcia:

Carlos Diaz:

Aaron Jaehnig:

Jason Roias:

Justice Gaines:

Seth Yurdin:

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QUESTION 3:

“As a city councilor how will you ensure funding for the construction, rehabilitation and operating costs of genuinely affordable housing, including for low-income folks earning between $10,000 and $30,000 each year?

“Providence has a history of entering into tax stabilization agreements (TSA) with developers. Would you commit to ensuring that every TSA include a mandatory percentage of low-income and affordable units in any residential development and/or linkage fees charged per square foot of development sufficient to actually produce, rehab and operate affordable and low-income housing that the city desperately needs?”

Seth Yurdin:

Justice Gaines:

Jason Roias:

Aaron Jaehnig:

Carlos Diaz:

Deya Garcia:

Carmen Castillo:

Luis Aponte:

Mary Kay Harris:

Cyd McKenna:

Rachel Miller:

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QUESTION 4:

“There are many ways in which Providence’s homeless population is being criminalized, such as through the policing of their bodies in public spaces and hostile architecture. What are your specific strategies to prevent the criminalization  of poverty in Providence?”

Rachel Miller:

Cyd McKenna:

Mary Kay Harris:

Luis Aponte:

Carmen Castillo:

Deya Garcia:

Carlos Diaz:

Aaron Jaehnig:

Jason Roias:

Justice Gaines:

Seth Yurdin:

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QUESTION 5:

“According to the 2017 Department of Corrections Annual Report, an estimated 20 percent of folks released from the Adult Correctional Institutions return to the City of Providence. The Ella Baker center conducted a survey of of all the incarcerated folks in 2015 where 72 percent of those surveyed responded that the absence of affordable housing was the most significant stumbling block to securing stable housing. Similar to the experiences shared at the weekly Behind the Walls meetings, the survey also states that family members are the first, most fundamental source of housing reported at the time of release, yet, for many families providing support to loved ones returning to the community results in loss or insecurity of their own housing. Altogether, roughly one in five families, 18 percent, reported being evicted or denied housing when their formerly incarcerated family member returned.

“In this climate of stigma, how do you intend to work to ensure significant access to stable and affordable housing for people returning to the community post-incarceration?”

Seth Yurdin:

Justice Gaines:

Jason Roias:

Aaron Jaehnig:

Carlos Diaz:

Deya Garcia:

Gerard Catala:

Carmen Castillo:

Luis Aponte:

Mary Kay Harris:

Cyd McKenna:

Rachel Miller:

Some final thoughts from DARE’s Malchus Mills and Terri Wright:

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See:

Providence City Council challengers decry lack of affordable housing

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