Providence Journal Editorial: Merging Good Works

The Elmwood Foundation and Greater Elmwood Neighborhood Services both promote affordable housing and community development in South Providence. At least they used to. Their recent merger as Community Works RI, the first of its kind in Rhode Island, should tighten the focus of neighborhood improvement at a time of ever more pressing need.

With combined staff and budget, Community Works RI has expanded its horizons beyond Elmwood and the Southside. Under newly hired director Carrie Marsh, it seeks greater efficiency in development, resource management and fundraising. Thus revitalized, it will continue three decades of civic regeneration that has brought 1,000 units of affordable housing and $60 million in community investment to the city’s most at-risk neighborhoods.

Now that the whole state is at risk in the fiscal and foreclosure crises, Community Works RI should inspire larger entities in Rhode Island to join arms. Cities and towns whose education, public-safety, operations, maintenance and other systems could be better coordinated should take note. Efficiencies of scale make tax dollars go further.

The spirit of merger, collaboration and consolidation must be focused in the Ocean State’s fight against duplication, inefficiency, waste and redundancy of services — all of which make public services more expensive and corruption easier to commit and more difficult to root out.

No segment of society is likely to be better served by more efficient (and hence more just) allocation of resources than poorer communities. They are the most in need of effective state and local services. But every segment of Rhode Island will benefit from better governance. So we hope Community Works RI is a sign of things to come.