Homeless in RI: Charles St. encampments at DaVinci Center, Charles Place clearing (UPDATE)

MONDAY update, Aug. 7, 2023 – Today, Providence officials will check on the encampment at private property on Charles Street to make sure that it has been vacated, and then clean-up of the area will begin.

There are 3 parcels – 2 state owned land are vacated and being cleaned. 1 large private owned space is being vacated today, regardless of demonstrations being called for by some homeless advocates. City has referred people to Amos House, Crossroads, and Project Renew.

In addition, Crossroads has started a fundraising drive for the work they are doing. The RI Coalition to End Homelessness is asking for encampments to be “sanctioned” with services delivered to the sites.

This is a developing story.

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Governor McKee announced early today on WPRO’s Gene Valicenti radio program that the homeless encampments on the state owned property near the DaVinci Center and Charles Place had been vacated and the RI Department of Transportation is beginning the clean-up process.

This was news to most people who heard him on the air. Here is that interview:

Gov. McKee also talked about the millions that are in the new budget to address housing and homelessness. He also announced that he is looking to buy a hotel-type facility or more than one facility where wrap-around services can be provided. Because homelessness is a significant issue not going away soon, McKee said it would make sense to go in the direction of housing that the state would own, and not rent hotel rooms at market rate.

Encampment move-outs

There are 3 parcels of land in the Charles Street area – two are state owned and one is private owned. Gov. McKee said the state land encampments had been vacated and are in the process of being cleaned by the RIDOT and crews that deal with toxic clean up due to chemicals, needles, and propane left behind.

Today, Attorney Jonathan Savage’s office sent a letter to Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, signed by Joseph P. Carnevale, Esq., to inform him that there were trespassers on his client’s land and they were to be evicted for criminal trespassing. The private land is owned by an LLC in nearby Massachusetts called 329 Development, at 450-456 Charles Street. The land is long vacant and once it is vacated and cleaned it will be fenced off properly.

The attorney letter:

Within hours of this letter being received, Providence Police, accompanied by social work staff went to the private land to serve notification that all encamped on this property will be removed on Monday morning. As has been noted before, some of those on the property had housing vouchers or places to go, but said they did not want to do so.

The land consists of 3 parcels – two state land noted in blue type, and one private land, noted in yellow. Charles Place is the first starred building from the left – the DaVinci Center is next to that – and Esek Hopkins Middle School next to that. Most of the encampments are at the woods’ edge and in and around the West River.

Images and video taken on Friday afternoon:

Some homeless advocates said they would return on Sunday and/or Monday to protect the moving of those encamped on the private land.

CLEAN-UP

Response Friday night from the RI Department of Transportation which is charged with the cleanup, including toxic materials: “As RIDOT has been informed that the homeless persons and their personal possessions are no longer at these locations, we will begin the clean up on Monday and it will take approximately one week.”

Contributing to this update: Vincent Marzullo.

This is a developing story.