Washington County Leaders Tackle Affordable Housing at Health Equity Policy Breakfast
In October, community members, local leaders, and policymakers gathered at The Haversham in Westerly to address Washington County’s affordable housing challenges at the “Housing All of Our Neighbors” Policy Breakfast. Hosted by Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, Washington County’s Health Equity Zone, the event centered on sustainable housing solutions, bringing together diverse stakeholders to discuss barriers, share insights, and outline actionable steps for accessible, affordable housing for all residents.
The breakfast opened with remarks from Alison Croke, President and CEO of Wood River Health, who highlighted the mission of Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds to drive change across key areas like housing, transportation, and behavioral health. Brenda Clement, Executive Director of HousingWorksRI, delivered a powerful keynote, revealing data from the HousingWorks RI Fact Book, which shows that no Rhode Island municipality currently offers affordable homeownership options for households earning under $100,000. This statistic underscores the severe shortage of housing options for middle- and low-income families—a crisis that demands immediate attention and local solutions.