06/08/2026
This past weekend Providence City Councilor Justin Roias (Ward 4) advocated repeatedly for members of the newly-formed Charles Place Tenants Union, the second tenant union to form in the North End in less than a month. Speaking at a press conference Friday afternoon and reaching out to officials on Sunday, Councilor Roias pointed out the multiple dangerous conditions at the building, specifically the lack of any operational elevators.
Charles Place Apartments is a 200-unit apartment complex primarily serving low-income seniors and residents with disabilities, many of whom become effectively trapped in their homes without working elevators.
“When residents are forced to choose between missing lifesaving medical treatment and navigating ten flights of stairs, something is fundamentally wrong," said Councilor Roias in a letter to his ward. "No resident should have to risk their health simply to enter or leave their home. These ongoing conditions are precisely why residents decided to form a tenant union. When concerns persist year after year and residents feel their voices are not being heard, collective action becomes a necessary tool for accountability and change."
City Councilor Althea Graves (Ward 12) also attended Friday's press conference to show her support.
