Christian Lachapelle-Miller is struggling to find a safe, affordable place to live in Providence. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)
I’m a 31-year-old single professional, born and raised in Providence. Having spent more than half of my life shifting through foster care, I now work full-time for the State of Rhode Island and have over a decade of human and public service experience. And yet, despite my steady income and deep roots in this community, I find myself increasingly concerned about my housing stability. I’m struggling to find a safe, affordable place to live in the city I’ve always called home.
A part of the housing crisis we don’t talk about enough is the growing number of middle-income Rhode Islanders who are falling through the cracks. People like me — earning between $65,000 and $75,000 a year — are often excluded from affordable housing programs and don’t qualify for most public assistance. But the private market is simply out of reach…