Sen. Urso, Rep. Handy aim to strengthen Rhode Island’s main streets
STATE HOUSE — Legislation introduced by Sen. Lori Urso and Rep. Arthur Handy would launch a pilot statewide Main Street Coordinating Program to aid the success of Rhode Island’s main streets, downtowns and city centers.
Rep. Arthur Handy
“Our main streets have the potential to be the jewels of our 39 cities and towns, to act as vibrant economic, cultural and community hubs that enrich our entire state.
While local organizations have worked hard to develop them, our main streets have suffered from a lack of coordinated planning and intrastate communication and collaboration,” said Senator Urso (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket). “
By following the successful model of main street programs across the nation, we can support our downtown communities and allow them to grow into the powerhouses we know they can be. From Westerly to Woonsocket to my home district in the city of Pawtucket, investing in our communities always pays off.”
Senator Urso introduced her bill (2025-S 0174) in the Senate on Feb. 7. Representative Handy will shortly introduce companion legislation in the House.
“Everyone loves a busy and bustling main street. Even after the rise of big box stores and growth of online shopping, our downtowns remain essential to the economic success and cultural vibrancy of Rhode Island,” said Representative Handy (D-Dist. 18, Cranston). “This legislation will provide the local stakeholders already invested in the success of our downtown spaces with additional resources and expertise to aid their work, while also ensuring our state’s diverse cities and towns are working together toward a flourishing Rhode Island.”
The legislation would appropriate $500,000 to establish a program to connect local chambers of commerce, neighborhood associations, municipal governments and other local stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, the exchange of ideas and broad strategic planning to develop the state’s main streets into thriving commercial and community hubs that benefit all Rhode Islanders.
“By investing in main streets, we help revitalize downtown districts and build a shared sense of community,” said Rhode Island General Treasurer James A. Diossa. “As a mayor, I worked with the state and neighboring municipalities to create a similar program in Central Falls. I have seen the benefits firsthand. I commend Senator Urso and Representative Handy for their collective efforts to empower local stakeholders and breathe new life into our cities and towns.”
Sen. Lori Urso
Modeled after the Connecticut Main Street Center and aligned with the Main Street America program, the program would be managed by Grow Smart RI for an initial trial period of three years.
“Grow Smart RI believes strongly that our historic commercial ‘Main Street’ districts — in all their dynamic varieties — have the key ingredients to once again be RI’s economic social and cultural engines. They also can be the antidote to many of our public health, housing, environmental and transportation challenges,” said Scott Wolf, executive director of Grow Smart RI.
“But having these economically catalytic neighborhoods reach their full potential requires funding provided in this bill to develop a statewide Main Street network and coordinating program that would provide ongoing and consistent professional technical assistance to place-based community groups organized around walkable commercial districts throughout Rhode Island.
When community groups are connected, informed and supported, we believe that they will be more successful at creating and sustaining the physical and social environments in which small businesses can succeed, residents and visitors can thrive and sorely needed additional housing can be built.”
The bill spells out several key priorities for the program, including the hiring and retention of a full-time coordinator, training and education sessions for local communities, technical assistance to main street districts throughout Rhode Island, an annual conference for Rhode Island’s main street districts and the development of a database of online resources, including training materials, research and best practices. Progress on these goals would be detailed in annual public reports.
“Main Street America supports the establishment of a Rhode Island Main Street Coordinating Program, and we appreciate Senator Urso and Representative Handy’s support of this effort,” said Erin Barnes, president and CEO of Main Street America. “Main Street Coordinating Programs are essential to revitalizing Main Street districts, providing the connective glue for community-based efforts through training, technical assistance and capacity building. Rhode Island’s downtowns and village squares will have a strong partner in Grow Smart RI leading this effort across the state.”
Since 1980, Main Street programs in other states have led to $107.62 billion of local reinvestment locally, 175,323 new businesses and 782,059 new jobs. States with coordinating main street programs average over $30 of return for each dollar of investment.