Beyond 4 Walls:
Navigating the RI Housing Crisis

With a 70% increase in homelessness, soaring housing prices, and ranking last in the nation on new housing construction, Rhode Island’s housing crisis is getting worse. These general trends also lead to increased information needs, a team of students at Brown University found. As part of The Information Project (TIP), the students studied information gaps related to housing insecurity, tenants’ rights, and more within the community. On this site, you can learn more about these critical information needs and how to meet them. Learn about how to access financial support for housing, how AI is reshaping housing scams, how to navigate your housing search, and explore Rhode Island neighborhoods where people are most at risk for eviction.

 

 

False Promises, Real Losses: The Reality of Housing Scams in RI

Is AI empowering the wrong people? Here’s how scammers are using AI to trick people in a stressed housing market — and how to avoid it.

Trying to find out if you are eligible for housing assistance programs can feel like being lost in an endless maze. Use our tool as your guide towards finding what’s available to you.

Locked Doors: How Housing Assistance Programs Have Failed Rhode Islanders

Mapping the Shape of the Housing Crisis - Precursors to Emergency

What factors make it harder to hold on to leases or houses, or find affordable housing in the first place? Who is most at risk for ending up on the streets? Check out our analysis of the predictors of housing insecurity in Rhode Island.

Are you a student interested in learning about the student off-campus housing experience? Learn more about the potential challenges of first-time renters and how to successfully navigate the process.

Navigating Off-Campus Housing: Insights from First-Time Student Renters

Navigating the Housing Crisis in Rhode Island: 

Information Challenges Facing Rhode Islanders

Across online platforms such as Reddit, Facebook and Nextdoor, Rhode Islanders are discussing their most pressing housing questions and concerns. People’s inquiries and conversations reveal information gaps and inequities that can weaken Rhode Island’s housing crisis response efforts, TIP research shows.