“Block Island holds a special place in our hearts. We have been immeasurably blessed by the many years we have spent vacationing on Block Island and getting to know its workers and residents. Affordable homes and apartments on-island serve to strengthen community fabric. We are happy to donate to the affordable housing project. Paying forward toward this goal brings the Housing Authority’s projects to completion sooner and debt free.”So read the note attached to a $10,000 anonymous donation to the Block Island Housing Board, received and acknowledged at the board’s meeting on January 20. Chair Cindy Pappas, along with the rest of the board, thanked the donor, who had made the donation out of the proceeds of their house sale.The Housing Board’s current project at the O’Brien property on West Side Road is still in the conceptual phase, as the board works to figure out how best to develop the area. The property is located adjacent to E. Searles Ball Memorial Housing, which contains 16 units of year round affordable rental housing. E. Searles Ball is operated by Block Island Economic Development Fund (BIED). BIED built several affordable housing projects over the years, usually using grants, donations, and
