Block Island housing board presses forward on Ball O'Brien project as state and nonprofit talks continue; website vendor approved

The Block Island Housing Board on Tuesday discussed next steps for the Ball O'Brien affordable-housing proposal, including renewed conversations with Rhode Island Housing, potential management and monitoring help from Church Community Housing and outreach to modular-home builders, while approving a website contract meant to centralize project information.

Board members and staff said Rhode Island Housing has raised concerns in prior funding rounds about the project’s per-unit cost and scale, but that recent conversations have been more favorable. Cindy (board member) reported that Jim Comer of Rhode Island Housing and the state housing secretary told staff the project should not be dismissed as “too small or too expensive” and offered follow-up meetings; Cindy said Comer indicated a new funding round may be available. "There is gonna be a new round of money," she said.

The board also described a separate meeting with Church Community Housing (CCH), which requested design clarifications and said it would provide a proposal that could include reapplication help to Rhode Island Housing and project management or monitoring services. Chris (board member) said CCH’s approach includes funding mechanisms not used by the board’s previous consultant and that securing town support would improve the project’s funding prospects: "If we got town support, their chances of getting funding through Rhode Island Housing etc. was going to be significantly higher," he said.

Board members discussed outreach to modular-home suppliers. Josh (board member) reported contacts with several firms and said Beam’s Modular Homes (the firm that built Westside 20) asked for the RFP; the board agreed to circulate the RFP to additional modular vendors to solicit updated pricing.

The board also discussed placing the project on the town warrant for a public vote and whether to delay the warrant until communication and monitoring infrastructure are strengthened. Rosemary (board member) urged improved coordination among homeowners associations, nonprofits and municipal staff before a ballot question, arguing that clearer oversight would build public trust. Chris said the board had already voted to move the warrant forward and planned to present the project to the town council soon.

In a separate but related action, the board approved a website development contract with Visionary (vendor) to host project information and outreach materials. The chosen proposal included a one-time development fee and an annual hosting/security line item; the board summarized the total as just under $8,000 for phase 1 (including approximately $2,400 per year for hosting and security). The board voted to award the phase-1 development contract to Visionary, subject to review of Town of New Shoreham contract language and a formal written contract.

Votes at a glance - Motion to move agenda item 13 up and subsume items 5, 6 and 7 into item 13 — passed (motion made from the floor; second not specified). - Motion to approve minutes from Jan. 28 and Feb. 25 — passed (minor capitalization edits noted). - Motion to approve financial reports — passed. - Motion to award website phase-1 development contract to Visionary, subject to Town contract language and final written contract — passed (subject to final contract review). - Motion to approve retention agreement with attorney Per Vaish at Mead, Tallerman & Costa — passed. - Motion to go into closed session — passed.

The board emphasized that improved public materials — including the new website — will help explain the project, the source of housing-bed tax funds and the reasons for pursuing outside funding. "When we have to educate people about what's going on and what they are voting for, we can use that," one board member said of the planned site.

Board members said next steps include awaiting a written proposal from Church Community Housing, updating the pro forma assumptions for lenders and funders, circulating the RFP to additional modular-home vendors, and preparing the presentation for the town council. Several members said they will continue outreach to Rhode Island Housing staff and the state housing secretary to align the town’s application with state priorities.

The board approved routine administrative items (minutes, financial reports) and the attorney retention as part of the meeting’s business.

The board did not take a final vote on placing the Ball O'Brien warrant on the town ballot at this meeting; members said they will present the project to the town council in the coming weeks and continue coordinating with state and nonprofit partners.