Homeless in RI: Fire hazards, $11M more, eviction in Pawtucket, DCYF on saving the children

3 Fires in 1 Week

There were three fires involving homeless encampments in the greater Rhode Island area last week. One in Providence, off Union Street – cause as yet unknown, but fire officials noted that there were a lot of items behind a building and it was hard to get a water source to put it out. Thankfully no one was at the encampment. Another took place in New Bedford – and another in Brockton. One had to do with squatters in a building using a flammable source, thought to be propane. In that case, one person did receive burns, and another escaped unhurt. When the cleanup happened at the RI State House, more than one propane tank was found – left behind.

Once a flame starts tires, bicycles, tarps, rope, clothing, or other items and trash can fuel a fire’s growth which can then move to other tents or cars.

Rhode Island has been fortunate in the small numbers of fires that have occurred, though this was a quick uptick last week. California notes over 120 in just one county. In Sacramento, fire officials estimate they respond to 10-15 fires a day. In Portland, a major fire happened just a few days ago – fueled by propane tanks… officials are “trying to find solutions, but don’t have specifics just yet”. They are looking for a place where all campers can go with tents, a large “acceptable” homeless encampment as the city is seeing more and more fires.

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Pawtucket homeless “home” gets eviction notice

In a similar action to what occurred at the RI State House this past winter, the estimated 5 to 10 people living under the overpass in Pawtucket were served with an eviction letter with both the logos of the state of Rhode Island and the city of Pawtucket on it. They have under April 1st to vacate and are being offered a place to stay at the 1139 Main Street Pawtucket shelter run by Open Doors RI, or elsewhere, or help in contacting family, etc. In addition, they are offered transportation, and their belongings will be stored at no cost for 30 days, if needed. At Open Doors, resources will be available to them so they can move up and out beyond their current circumstances. One person at the homeless encampment has already said that he will move out by the date indicated, but will go to a park or woods now that the weather is better. At least 2 others have already gone to Open Doors.

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Homeless Children and the role of RI DCYF

After the repeated testimony, including charts from homeless advocates that there were “families” living unhoused and outdoors, the confirmed number of 300+ families – involving 1 or more children (of those who were counted) – remained on the street, and at least 64 families were known to advocates, inquiries were made to the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families about the RI law requiring anyone, including social workers in the field of homeless services, to report situations of neglect with children. We asked how many cases they were involved with, how many they had helped house, etc. For the first time we learned that DCYF is using their resource dollars to help house 32 homeless families in hotels. And that over $230,000 of DCYF funds are being committed now to help serve homeless families with children who are in their client base, and that they are housing another 18 families in hotels.

After several weeks of waiting for a statement, Damaris Teixeira, Public Information Officer for DCYF provided us with the statement, in its entirety, here:

“DCYF does not remove children from the care of families who come to our attention for being unhoused, with no other concerns for maltreatment. The Department cannot confirm or deny whether the Coalition [ to End Homelessness] has ever made a report to Child Protective Services. All reports to the Department’s Child Abuse Hotline are classified as “confidential” under State law. 

DCYF also provides assistance to support families who are open to DCYF for purposes of achieving safe and timely reunification with parents. As part of its efforts to provide support to families, DCYF has provided funding support to homeless families for purposes of keeping families together. 

At present, DCYF is providing funding to support 32 homeless families who are residing in hotels.    

In addition, DCYF provides prevention services to families through a Family Care Community Partnership model. The Department has contracts with five community providers to support this practice model in the state. As part of the agency’s contracts, DCYF provides flex funding to the FCCP providers in the aggregate contracted amount of $230,000 per year. The providers can utilize the flex funds to provide temporary hotel /housing assistance to families. This year the Department has experienced an increase in the number of families in need of temporary housing assistance. As of March 1, 2023, the FCCP providers were providing assistance to support 18 families in hotels.”  

In dealing with the homeless encampments, advocates said they had to protect the homeless and refused to tell the Governor – or to put the information into their federal database – on the location of the encampments. Some sources say that it is a last resort to “report” children/families in need of housing who are living outside, in crisis, because of “how awful” it is to interact with DCYF, and fears of families losing their children. Homeless advocates are held to the same law to report neglect circumstances as any other Rhode Islander, and while these advocates are homeless “experts” in their field, they are not trained or responsible for assessing neglect or harm being done to children – the role of DCYF.

DCYF: To fulfill our mission, we believe that:

• The family, community, and government share responsibility for children’s safety, protection, and well-being through a family- and child-centered wraparound model of care.
• Decisions are made based on shared input and expertise, which includes the voice of the family, Department, service providers, caregivers, and child.
• Timely permanency is achieved when evident behavioral changes are made demonstrating the ability to create and maintain safe, stable environments for children and youth.
• When a family is unable to care for a child or youth, it is our responsibility, in as timely a manner as possible, to ensure the child or youth is provided permanency in their life in a safe, stable, and nurturing home.
• Parents, DCYF staff, natural supports, resource families and caregivers, other community and public agencies, and their staff are partners in providing timely and appropriate high-quality care.

Letter from RI DCYF sent to the RI Coalition to End Homelessness

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More money…

 $11+ million more dollars for homeless services in Rhode Island have been given out, as announced by Sen. Jack Reed. Sojourner House has said they received $2.7 million for projects to address this population. They have over 150 on the wait list at this time for housing. Here is the list of grant recipients:

State and local homeless projects receiving 2023 federal CoC grants include:

• Amos House / Amos House Friendship & Swan Street Project: $99,226
• Community Care Alliance / Rapid Re-Housing of Northern Rhode Island – Youth: $67,308
• Community Care Alliance / Rapid Re-Housing of Northern Rhode Island: $167,250
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – Coordinated Entry: $78,116
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – DV CES: $115,000
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – DV RRH Individuals: $296,033
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – Family Housing: $386,636
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH 16 Units: $107,519
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH 754 Broad: $48,059
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH Beach Ave Apartments: $108,683
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH Harold Lewis House: $102,169
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH Mike Terry: $113,915
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH Tower: $33,083
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – PH Tremont: $73,204
• Crossroads Rhode Island / Crossroads – RRH Families: $198,534
• East Bay Community Action Program / East Bay Coalition for the Homeless PH: $37,307
• Foster Forward / RRH for Former Foster Youth: $201,662
• House of Hope Community Development Corporation / House of Hope CDC- Access to Home: $354,973
• House of Hope Community Development Corporation / House of Hope CDC- Fair House: $39,464
• House of Hope Community Development Corporation / House of Hope CDC- Rockville Mill: $162,250
• House of Hope Community Development Corporation / House of Hope CDC-Dean Street Studios-New: $190,480
• House of Hope Community Development Corporation / House of Hope CDC-Warwick PSH: $140,178
• Housing Authority of the City of Pawtucket / PAW HA RRH: $158,888
• Lucy’s Hearth / Lucy’s Hearth Renewal PSH Program: $50,742
• Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless / Coordinated Entry DV: $748,482
• Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless / Coordinated Entry: $141,714
• Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless / HMIS: $152,064
• Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation / RI-500 CoC Planning: $316,591
• Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation / RIHousing – SBRA: $2,512,834
• Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation / RIHousing – TBRA Consolidation: $1,415,002
• Sojourner House / Burnside Ave Perm Supportive Housing: $65,005
• Sojourner House / Constitution Hill Supportive Housing: $139,113
• Sojourner House / Rapid Rehousing for Undocumented Victims: $339,034
• Sojourner House / Sojourner House Bridge Rapid Rehousing: $496,404
• Sojourner House / Sojourner House Burnside PSH: $50,738
• Sojourner House / Sojourner House DCYF Rapid Rehousing: $405,212
• Sojourner House / Sojourner House Rapid Re-Housing: $898,904
• Sojourner House / Young Adult Domestic Violence Crisis/Rapid Rehousing: $325,488
• Westerly Area Rest Meals Inc. / Greater Westerly Supportive Housing Project: $66,197
• YWCA Rhode Island / SFG: $60,122

Total: $11,463,583

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Deadlines approach

April 30th is four weeks away and that is the date the Armory is set to close – having been extended first from March 1st and then from March 15th.

Other temporary housing in hotels may or may not be on the extended deadline, or continue indefinitely – requests have been made for more details.

Here is the interview with Stefan Pryor and Gene Valicenti on the new homeless initiatives:

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New Tents & Sleeping Bags

Colorful new tents are beginning to be seen at new and old locations. One tent was a “North Face” tent, and one from REI. Downtown Providence doorway sleepers are appearing again. The Coalition to End Homelessness doesn’t say they are collecting donations anymore for tents and sleeping bags, but…

Affordable Housing, Low Income Housing and Housing Bills

There are 10 to 12 bills working their way through the RI legislature to address the lack of housing and reasonable housing costs. Grants, tax credits, new construction, and zoning changes. In some cases, zero costs may be needed for housing for those with no ability to work.