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River Island condo association asks Woonsocket to sponsor FEMA grant to rebuild eroded levee
Summary
River Island Condo Association asked the City of Woonsocket to sponsor a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program application to fund reconstruction of an eroded levee that owners say leaves 23 owner‑occupied units repeatedly flooded.
River Island Condo Association President Evan Starr requested city sponsorship Monday so the city can submit a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program application to rebuild a levee that association members say is protecting a mill-turned-condo from repeated flooding.
Starr told the council the association faces ongoing flood risk every time the nearby river rises and presented photos showing water reaching exterior doors and significant interior damage. He said 23 of the condo association’s 26 units are owner-occupied and that past events have required evacuation and caused extensive repairs.
Why it matters: Association members say the levee’s erosion threatens long-term habitability of owner-occupied units in a working-class condo association. The association estimates an initial project cost of about $255,000 to design and rebuild the levee; final cost will follow engineering design.
What the city staff said
City staff said the requested project was added to the city’s hazard mitigation plan, a prerequisite for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications, and that the planning department had amended the plan and resubmitted it to the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency. A city official recommended any required matching funds be the responsibility of the condominium association rather than the city and said the council would see a resolution or ordinance if the project exceeded the city’s charter threshold for expenditures.
Proposal details
Starr described a comprehensive project including engineering, design and any necessary utility relocation as part of levee reconstruction. He said RMA Environmental (an engineering firm) has been retained, has consulted with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management on permit expectations and has contacted FEMA to assemble required river data for the application. For context, Starr presented historical and recent photos showing the site’s protection diminished after removal of a downstream dam in the 1960s and repeated inundation in 2010–11 and again in 2023–24.
City council response
Councilwoman Gonzales asked whether city sponsorship would carry a financial commitment; Starr replied that sponsorship would initially provide a letter of support and that he understood the association would be responsible for any matching requirement. A city staff member confirmed the association’s addition to the hazard mitigation plan, described the departmental steps already taken and said staff would recommend that the council place any matching requirement on the association.
Next steps
If the council endorses sponsorship, the planning department expects to submit the HMGP application with the association and the engineering team. If a FEMA award is large enough to trigger the city’s charter expenditure threshold, the council will need to vote on that appropriation at a later meeting. The association said the project is time-sensitive because the levee provides only minimal protection at present and that another significant storm could produce major structural damage or displacement.
