Rhode Island Home Repair Program Under Fire Faces New Probe

Rhode Island’s state auditor general will investigate a home repair program already cited by Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s administration for poor record-keeping and high administrative costs.

The Providence Journal reports that the Western Rhode Island Home Repair Program, which provides low-interest loans to elderly and low-income residents in Foster, Glocester and Scituate, has been unable to fulfill its mission since the state froze its money in February.

At the request of House Speaker Gordon D. Fox, Auditor General Dennis E. Hoyle said his office will examine where the money was going.

Costs are not supposed to exceed 20 percent under block grant guidelines. Kathleen Knight-Bianchi, a Scituate Town Council member, said costs reached 50 percent to 60 percent.

The newspaper said the program’s manager and executive board chairwoman did not return calls on Tuesday.