Code Compliance in Providence, Rhode Island

Code enforcement is one of the most important tools a local government has at its disposal to protect public health and safety and stabilize neighborhoods. In May 2025, the Center for Community Progress awarded the City of Providence (the City) a Code Enforcement Technical Assistance Scholarship to assess the City’s code enforcement approach for deteriorating, occupied rental properties and recommend improvements to advance equitable outcomes with a focus on prevention and compliance. As part of this engagement, Community Progress:

• Reviewed relevant state and local laws, data, reports, program descriptions, and other documentation;
• Met biweekly with the local project team;
• Completed a two-day site visit; and
• Conducted virtual and in-person interviews with diverse stakeholders including leadership and staff from multiple City departments, the Mayor’s Chief Policy Officer, and community advocates and residents (see Appendix A for the list of interviewees).

This memo summarizes Community Progress’ key findings and recommendations from the engagement. We found:

• The Department of Inspections and Standards (DIS), which houses the City’s code compliance team, has undergone significant internal culture change in recent years to make serving the community its core mission;
• Providence is home to a community of highly engaged housing justice advocates working in partnership with local government to achieve community goals; and
• The City has a wide range of tools to achieve code compliance, ranging from repair assistance for single family and small multifamily buildings to legal enforcement.

Despite these strengths and assets, the City and DIS still face challenges. These include:

• Negative perceptions of the department among residents based on interactions with previous staff and leadership;
• Lack of accessibility, especially for residents seeking to engage with the department online; and
• Fear of government, particularly among vulnerable residents.

To better support residents living in substandard rental properties and lower-income landlords, we encourage DIS to:

• Expand its visibility and accessibility in the community;
• Deepen existing and grow new partnerships in local government and the nonprofit sector; and
• Build support and capacity for a proactive rental inspection program that will protect the health and safety of tenants, prevent property deterioration, and strengthen neighborhoods.

Download the full memo »