Upcoming Ward 3 meetings, Committees, Rent Stabilization, and more

Hello Friends & Neighbors,

I hope that this note finds you all well. I know that 2026 has already been quite heavy.  Hours after I spoke at a Vigil reflecting on the 5th Anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, we heard news that the U.S. had kidnapped the president of another sovereign nation -- and a day after, we watched horrific ICE brutality in Minneapolis. It's been relentless.

But at the same time -- I am so inspired and hopeful because of the actions I am seeing locally in Providence and across the State to band together, support each other, and continue building something better together. Community groups gathering in living rooms and church basements, attending late night vigils in the cold, marching on City Halls and the State House, or just grabbing cups of coffee for conversation.  I am grateful to be in this community with you -- and will always have your back!

In more local news - we're in for quite a snow storm this weekend! Check on your neighbors -- and if you need off-street parking during a potential parking ban, please check out this list for local options.  

And as always, there's so much going on locally - so I'll just jump right in!

Upcoming Meetings & Events:

• Jan 27th 5:30pm - PVD Finance Committee Public Hearing & Meeting (3rd Floor City Hall): We'll be reviewing Tax Stabilization Agreements and also proposed District 1 School Board candidate Andrew Bramson. I am excited for Andrew's nomination & look forward to the committee reviewing his candidacy!

• Feb 4th at 6pm - Hope High,  Ward 3 Community Meeting: We will be joined by special guest John Marion from Common Cause. Ward 3'ers are so engaged and have been asking good questions about engaging at the local v. state level and policy advocacy -- and Common Cause promotes honest and accountable government that serves the public interest and works to empower all people to make their voices heard the process.

• February 9th, 5:30 - 3rd Floor of City Hall: The Special Committee on Environment and Resiliency will meet to discuss and vote on an ordinance pertaining to utility work that affects City streets. We will also be joined by the team at AARP to hear a presentation and discuss proposals to reduce parking minimums across the City.

• February 11th, 5:30 - 3rd Floor of City Hall: The North Main Street Task Force will meet and continue our work together.

• Full Council Meetings: The full Council meets on the 1rst and 3rd Thursday of each month at 6pm at City Hall.  All public meetings, hearings, and City committee meetings are posted on the Open Meetings Portal. Always check the portal before attending a meeting in case things have been postponed or agendas adjusted.

  
  

Updates & Other Topics:

Rent Stabilization:

On Jan 22nd, a majority of the City Council introduced a rent stabilization ordinance (I am a co-sponsor). It has been referred to the HOPE committee (I am a member). If you are interested in rent stabilization, I encourage you to read the actual proposed ordinance. This was developed with extensive work to learn from the best (and worst) practices of other cities -- to ensure that what we propose will actually work to stabilize rent and also still encourage new build and renovation of existing buildings. Please take a look and let me know what you think! We'll have community meetings and also obviously public hearing at City Hall for folks to engage and share theirs thoughts on how to improve this - but do share your thoughts with me directly and/or with the Clerk (CityClerk@providenceri.gov).  We also created a "housing hub" of resources on the council's website. I am so grateful for the folks who have already reached out with their thoughts and experiences, studies they've read, and more.

I joined Bartholomewtown to discuss the ordinance, which you can listen to at this link or by clicking the photo below!

Thanking "Reddit John"

In the wake of the recent Brown tragedy, many have asked how we can recognize Reddit John – the anonymous Brown alum whose courage helped investigators track the perpetrator. In this bitter winter cold, East Side City Councilwoman Davidson and I are working together to raise a gift -- to be donated in John’s name -- to support unhoused neighbors. The gift will go to Open Doors, a Rhode Island non-profit doing critical frontline work to house and support people in Providence and beyond.  

Our understanding has been that John has chosen to remain anonymous -- and he also showed what it means to care for a community when it matters most. We know that many of our neighbors are also struggling with housing insecurity during this time. But obviously - if and when there are opportunities to send care directly to Reddit John, we will let you know (and we know this community will show up for him!). Until then, let’s honor his care with care.

If you are interested in contributing, 100% of the funds go to Open Doors (Jill and I are only involved as donors and organizers) -- and the link is here: https://bit.ly/ThankRedditJohn

Congratulations to Community Members!

• Congrats to the Mount Hope Community Center's Business Alliance for being selected to join Grow Smart RI's first ever Main Street Learning Cohort! You can learn more about it at this link!

• Congrats to all of the Rhode Island's 8 restaurants, bars, and chefs nominated for James Beard awards! Providence and Rhode Island always punch way above our weight in our restaurants and food scene!

• Congrats to the Alcove on their grand opening earlier this month! I was so glad to join the celebration with so many amazing RI women -- and join as a founding member! Learn more here: https://www.alcoveri.org/

The Governor's Budget:

On Jan 13th, the Governor gave his annual State of the State address, and then later in the week released his proposed budget. You can review the budget yourself here if you're interested. The City's budget process does not begin until mid-April when the Mayor presents his proposed budget to the Council - but I am keeping a close eye on the governor's budget, as it affects all of us.  I shared my concerns in this Providence Journal article about his proposed cuts to energy efficiency and clean energy programs, which would increase our reliance on high-cost natural gas for not just heating, but also electric generation -- ultimately driving up rates.

Gratitude:

As always, it is my honor to work on your behalf, and I am hustling hard for you every day. In between newsletters, you can see updates on my Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky accounts. As always, also reach out to me via email any time!  

Big gratitude to all of the folks who came out for my January fundraiser at Moniker -- and to the awesome staff and team at Moniker for hosting us! I am so excited at the opportunity to continue to serve you as your next Lt. Governor!   If you were unable to join us but would like to support my campaign, you can donate at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sueforlg or send a check to Friends of Sue AnderBois at 166 5th St, Providence 02906

With Gratitude,

Sue AnderBois

Sue AnderBois

Candidate, RI Lt. Governor

Ward 3, Providence City Council

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