Coggeshall School. Screenshot via Google maps

Dear Editor, 

The Newport City Council made the correct decision at its December 11th meeting when it rejected the Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Coggeshall School property proposed by the City and the developer, BCM Realty LLC.  Thanks especially to Councilors David Carlin, Ellen Pinnock, Xay Khamsyvoravong, and Stephanie Smyth who courageously voted against the Agreement. 

The rents were defined as “market rate with workforce housing opportunities.”  Market rate rents are set by the landlord without any restrictions.  Workforce Housing generally is targeted to households with incomes at 80% to 120% of the Area Medium Income (AMI). Workforce Housing also is referred to as Middle Income Housing.

Conor Melville and his firm BCM Realty LLC, are reputable as evidenced by the success of the Cranston Calvert rental development.  But with this new opportunity to create approximately 30 units of one and two bedroom apartments, there needs to be some guarantee that the rents will be in a range affordable to a certain segment of the Newport population over the long-term.  The proposal before the Council did not meet that goal of affordable housing, and therefore, was rightly rejected.

Whatever the next steps are in the development of the Coggeshall School site, city councilors should insist that it meets the housing needs of Newport residents, and not be just an investment opportunity.

Judy K. Jones, Newport RI

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