Breaking Ground on Melrose II: Turning Rhode Island’s ADU Policy Into Housing for Youth
On November 4, Foster Forward celebrated the groundbreaking of Melrose II, an innovative affordable housing project on Melrose Avenue in Pawtucket that expands housing opportunities for youth aging out of foster care.
The development includes a sustainably designed two-bedroom single-family home and a one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit, or ADU. Together, these homes will provide safe, affordable housing while demonstrating how small-scale, community-based development can help address Rhode Island’s housing crisis.
How ADU Policy Made This Project Possible
Melrose II is a direct result of recent changes to Rhode Island’s accessory dwelling unit law.
State leaders updated the law to make it easier to build ADUs, recognizing them as a key strategy for increasing housing supply in a way that fits within existing neighborhoods. These changes align with Rhode Island’s Housing 2030 plan, which identifies ADUs as an important tool for improving affordability statewide.
By incorporating an ADU, Foster Forward was able to expand housing capacity on a single lot and model a scalable, replicable approach to development that supports both state housing priorities and the needs of vulnerable populations. Melrose II shows how smart policy can translate into real homes when paired with mission-driven organizations ready to act.
A Community and Legislative Effort
We were honored to mark this milestone alongside state and community leaders who have championed innovative housing solutions across Rhode Island.
We are grateful to Joe Shekarchi, Robert Britto, Jake Bissaillon, Julie Casimiro, Maryann Shallcross Smith, and Mary Duffy Messier for their leadership and continued support.
We also thank our project partners, including Navigant Credit Union, NE Tiny Homes, Rhode Island Housing, and the Housing Network of Rhode Island, for helping bring this vision to life.
Housing Plus Support Through Your Way Home
Through Foster Forward’s Your Way Home program, housing is paired with comprehensive wraparound services that promote long-term stability for youth transitioning out of foster care.
These supports include ASPIRE for financial literacy and matched savings, Works Wonders for career readiness and job placement, and mentoring and counseling focused on mental health, resilience, and independence. This approach ensures that housing is not just a place to live, but a foundation for healing, education, and personal growth.
Melrose II will also generate sustainable revenue through the HUD Foster Youth to Independence voucher program, ensuring affordability for residents while supporting the long-term financial stability of the project.
Project Details and Long-Term Impact
The Melrose II development includes two sustainably designed units for tenants earning at or below 80 percent of area median income. The project features a 1,060 square foot two-bedroom single-family home and a 555 square foot one-bedroom ADU, built on a vacant, tax-exempt parcel adjacent to Foster Forward’s existing four-unit multifamily property at 34 Melrose Avenue.
Since launching our housing portfolio in 2021, Foster Forward has had no evictions, and several youth have successfully transitioned from our housing into market-rate apartments. These outcomes reflect the strength of our wraparound model and the importance of stable, supportive housing for young people.
Looking Ahead
Melrose II represents what is possible when policy, partnership, and purpose align. It is both a response to Rhode Island’s housing crisis and a targeted solution for youth aging out of foster care who face some of the steepest barriers to housing stability.
As we continue to grow our housing portfolio, projects like Melrose II demonstrate how thoughtful legislation and community collaboration can create real pathways to independence and opportunity for young people across Rhode Island.
