Providence Councilor Roias says Smiley's rent stabilization veto sided with those raising rents
Justin RoiasProvidence City Councilor for Ward 4, in a statement to WPRI
Providence City Councilor Justin Roias said in a statement that, by vetoing the rent stabilization ordinance, Mayor Brett Smiley stood with the people raising rents instead of the people paying them, while families are being priced out of their homes.
“While he sits comfortably, the people he’s supposed to serve are struggling. In Brett Smiley’s Providence, families are being priced out of their homes, torn from the neighborhoods they know Today, the Mayor stood with the people raising rents, not the people paying them.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Providence cap annual rent increases at 4%?
Providence's proposed rent stabilization ordinance would set a standard 4% annual increase limit for covered housing, with exemptions and permitted adjustments. Mayor Brett Smiley vetoed it, arguing that it would worsen housing constraints and shift tax burdens. State Rep. David Morales supported the proposal as part of his housing platform. The council's attempt to override the veto failed. The dispute is whether Providence should adopt this form of rent regulation.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
WPRI's report on Mayor Brett Smiley's April 17, 2026 veto of the Providence City Council's rent stabilization ordinance, published April 17 and updated the same day. It reports statements from the mayor, councilors and advocacy groups.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Mayor Brett Smiley vetoed the ordinance on April 17, 2026, the day after the council gave it final approval in a 9-6 vote.
After the quotation
WPRI reported that Roias also called the veto "a slap in the face to working people." In the same report, Smiley said the veto was a principled policy choice and not a political decision.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether Providence should adopt a 4% cap on annual rent increases, so the reference point is the proposed rent stabilization ordinance. Roias's quoted words criticize the mayor's veto and say the mayor stood with the people raising rents rather than the people paying them, and WPRI reports he called the veto a slap in the face to working people. We read that as support for adopting the ordinance, an inference from his stance against the veto, so we used the Defended or excused label.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Brett Smiley
More from this case
Read the full caseBrett Smiley calls rent control a false promise
“I believe it is a false promise”Read statement
David Morales says rent stabilization can accompany more construction
“We can ensure that we have rent stabilization in place, or our neighbors do not get price-gouged when it comes to rent increases.”Read statement
David Morales outlines a plan to seek a 4% rent cap and later enforcement
“In January, I intend to work with the city council when they reintroduce the rent stabilization ordinance.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Providence Councilor Roias says Smiley's rent stabilization veto sided with those raising rents
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/2824-providence-city-councilor-justin-roias-said-in-a
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Providence Councilor Roias says Smiley's rent stabilization veto sided with those raising rents". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2824-providence-city-councilor-justin-roias-said-in-a