Steady, Experienced Leadership for Providence
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MEET BRETT
The son of a single mom who taught preschool, Brett was raised to value hard work and fairness. He studied business but found his calling in public service—and that led him to Rhode Island, where he met his husband and found his home.
For a decade, he’s been serving Rhode Islanders and helping families succeed, first as Chief Operating Officer for our city, then as Chief of Staff to Governor Gina Raimondo, and later as Director of the Department of Administration for the state.
Now as Mayor of Providence, Brett has worked to stand up to Trump, build more affordable housing, improve our schools, upgrade city services, and make our streets safer.
A longtime advocate for equity, inclusion, and public service, Brett has worked with organizations such as Planned Parenthood, Marriage Equality Rhode Island, and the National Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund over the years. He currently serves on the U.S. Conference of Mayors Advisory Board and co-chairs the national Mayors and Police Chiefs Task Force.
Mayor Smiley holds a degree in finance and an MBA from DePaul University. He lives with his husband Jim DeRentis, their dog and two cats. Both Brett and Jim are avid runners.
THE ISSUES
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KEEPING PROVIDENCE SAFE
Brett Smiley's focus on safety has yielded results. Last year, our city had the lowest number of homicides on record, and violent crimes are at a 30-year low. Brett launched the Real Time Crime Center, funded three new police academies, expanded community policing, and cracked down on the noisy, dangerous ATVs disrupting our neighborhoods.
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BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Everyone deserves access to affordable, safe, stable housing. That's why Brett Smiley has passed a comprehensive plan to make it easier and faster to build housing while creating and preserving over 1,600 units of housing.
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PROTECTING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES
Brett has signed two executive orders to ensure the safety, dignity, and well-being of every person, regardless of their immigration status.
His first order ensures our police will not cooperate with ICE and will never ask about immigration status. The second bans ICE agents from staging on city property.
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SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS
The son of a preschool teacher, Brett knows the value of supporting our students and their families. He's proud to have expanded Pre-K seats for Providence families and made historic investments in school construction, ensuring every student will learn in a new or like-new school by 2030.
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MAKING CITY HALL MORE EFFICIENT & EFFECTIVE
In 2025 alone, Providence filled over 5,000 potholes, made over 400 sidewalks repairs, and cleared over 1,500 storm drains to prevent flooding. From digitizing permits and licenses to improving vendor management, Brett has brought City Hall into the 21st century.
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PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Brett has supported small businesses with targeted grants, brought American Cruise Lines back to the waterfront, and landed FM, one of the world's largest insurance companies, as a major Downtown employer. With nearly $1 billion in annual activity from the nighttime economy alone, Brett is making sure Providence's growth reaches every neighborhood and every worker.
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BUILDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE PROVIDENCE
Brett launched the Providence Community Electricity Program to cut energy costs for residents and businesses, completed critical repairs to the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, and committed to carbon neutrality in all city-owned buildings by 2040. From building Resiliency Hubs in underserved neighborhoods to investing in green infrastructure citywide, Brett is making sure every Providence community shares in the benefits of a cleaner, safer city.
