New housing secretary to update legislative commission on Providence pallet shelter village

Two excavators moved gravel into a dump truck on a 5-acre site off Route 146 in Providence Wednesday afternoon, part of utility work necessary before 45 blue and white cabins on the site are ready for occupancy.

The one-room cabins are part of ECHO Village, Rhode Island’s first community of temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness. The tiny cabins, also called pallet shelters, are located within the on-ramp off Victor Street in Providence’s Smith Hill neighborhood — about a block away from the Foxy Lady strip club.

Yes, the final stages of construction are happening for the $3.3 million project that was originally supposed to open in March. Permits were secured over the summer, but construction work stalled due to what the Rhode Island Department of Housing called “supply chain issues.”

Nailing down the elusive completion date for ECHO Village is on the full plate of the department’s new leader, Deborah Goddard, who started her job  Monday. Housing Department spokesperson Emily Marshall told Rhode Island Current Goddard was unavailable for an interview.

“Her schedule is pretty booked this week,” Marshall said. “To obtain her schedule, please submit a formal APRA request.”

Rhode Island Current submitted a request for information on Goddard’s work schedule Tuesday.

Goddard’s first public appearance may not be until next week at the State House. She is one of 17 members of the Special Legislative Commission to Study Housing Affordability which has scheduled a hearing Dec. 12 for an update on the progress of ECHO Village.

Goddard’s predecessor, Stefan Pryor, served on the commission. Since his departure in July, his seat had been filled by interim Secretary Dan Connors.

The agenda for the afternoon hearing lists presentations by Connors, Deputy Fire Marshal David Pastore and House of Hope Executive Director Laura Jaworski. House of Hope, a Warwick community development corporation, is managing ECHO Village.

Connors has since returned to his position as chief of staff for the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Marshall confirmed Goddard will be speaking at the commission meeting.

Jaworski said ECHO Village still needs the final utility hookups, fire retardant painting work, and a fire suppression system. Once final inspections are done, people can move in.

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“We’re hopefully in our final weeks,” Jaworski said Wednesday in an interview. “It’s been this constant dance and coordination — and it’s all pointing to progress forward.” 

Though Goddard has already started work, she must be confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate, which is scheduled to reconvene on Jan. 7. Senate spokesperson Greg Paré said no timeframe has yet been set on a confirmation hearing, but that the first stage would likely be before the chamber’s Committee on Housing and Municipal Government.

Sen. Megan Kallman, a Pawtucket Democrat who was the most recent vice chair of the committee, did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Goddard’s salary is $238,597, the same amount Pryor made before he stepped down. She most recently worked as the executive vice president for capital projects for the New York City Housing Authority. Goddard also served as managing director for policy and program development for MassHousing from 2014 to 2016.