Homeless in RI: Governor “extremely concerned”. Street Sights: “Where is the outrage”. Updates.

Publishing Street Sights, RI’s only monthly magazine by and for the homeless (see below)

Governor “misspeaks” says the RI Coalition to End Homelessness – adds their voice to others calling for a State of Emergency, Public Health Crisis

We have been following the rift between the Governor and homeless advocates on whether or not there are emergency shelter beds available since Friday. It began during an “Ask the Governor” interview segment on WPRO Radio’s Gene Valicenti Show, where the Governor made claims that we have more beds in RI than we’ve ever had and if someone “makes the call” they can be accommodated. Here is that interview – at 27:40:

We attempted to clarify the Governor’s solid, broad statement, assuming its accuracy, until the homeless agencies said there were no beds at all, or only one here and there, providing us with a nightly utilization report.

One claim made by the Governor is that one provider was only at 66% capacity – but that was explained by the RI Coalition as a specialty program for aging-out of children’s services youth who needed housing.

Did the Governor Misspeak?

The RI Coalition Executive Director, Kim Simmons sent out a statement, with the title, “The Governor has misspoken”. She also added her call for a state of emergency to be called.

The other groups calling for this are the RI Council on Churches, various individuals who advocate for the homeless, Eric Hirsch, and Rev. Duane Clinker. Providence City Councilor Justin Roias called for the state and the immediate opening of the Echo Village pallet shelters (capacity 45).

We attempted multiple times to clarify the Governor’s statement and to date have received no written statement as to how the Governor gets his statistics on the homeless and how could there be such a difference between what he and the advocacy agencies state.

Governor McKee responds to embroiled situation on beds vs. no beds

On Sunday afternoon, we received this statement from Laura Hart, Communications Director in Governor McKee’s office:

“The Department of Housing gets a daily update of available beds/units that is automatically generated from the Homeless Information Management System, which is managed by the RI Coalition to End Homelessness (see attached from Friday). You are correct that family shelters are separate and apart from individual shelters and may have different criteria for admittance; there are other specialized shelters as well, such as for men and women, etc. On Friday at 11 a.m., you can see that there was some bed availability in family shelters as well as individual shelters. This is a snapshot in time, so while it was accurate for Friday morning when the Governor spoke on WPRO, it may look very different each day.

Placements are made through the Coordinated Entry System, which prioritizes cases based on individual circumstances. The RI Coalition for the Homeless is the lead for managing that system, as designated by the RI Continuum of Care. Please find the CES policies here: https://www.rihousing.com/wp-content/uploads/CES-Policies-and-Procedures.pdf.

However, if a shelter has an available bed that is not spoken for (occupied or reserved for a placement), the shelter is not supposed to turn away someone seeking that bed for that night, unless there are mitigating factors (certain criminal records, history of unacceptable behavior at that particular shelter, active drug use, etc.). When someone is placed in a bed under these circumstances, they should be enrolled in the CES system and prioritized accordingly.

If what we heard Friday and this weekend about CES inadequate staffing and unacceptable wait times is accurate, the Governor’s Office is extremely concerned about the state of current CES operations, particularly as support for this vulnerable population is made more urgent during winter weather conditions. We plan to explore these concerns in depth with both the vendor and the Continuum of Care board which, by federal statute, has policy oversight of CES.

While Rhode Island has made significant investments in its shelter system, we know that this work must be a collaborative effort, with the State, municipalities, nonprofits and faith-based communities all doing their part to address this problem. Many states are struggling to find wide-ranging solutions to address the increase in persons experiencing homelessness throughout the U.S. This is a complex problem that requires long-term investments on a number of fronts—from increasing the available housing stock to addressing other underlying causes, such as opioid use and mental health issues. The McKee Administration remains committed to this work.”

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RI Coalition to End Homelessness

We were told that “senior staff has taken time off” and “this is a particularly challenging time of year” at the RI Coalition. When attempting to call the CES (Coordinating Entry System) line, which is the only way to access emergency shelter we were told, we were on hold for over 2 1/2 hours, with no one answering. On the weekend, hours are listed as 365 days a year and 2pm to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday a recording referred people to the United Way’s 211 line. A volunteer at 211 said to call CES and provided us the number. We explained that their line says to call 211. She was surprised at that but said if it was a true emergency for “a male” looking for a spot to call the Providence Rescue Mission. We did and there was an recording on. We clicked through to the “female in need” line and it was also a recording.

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UPDATE on other Homelessness programs, issues:

Woonsocket Dignity Bus reopening this week

With a new grant of over $250,000, and not a moment too soon, the Destiny Bus, closed for several months, will be able to reopen as soon as this week to accommodate approximately 20 people in need of emergency, temporary housing.

Stalwart efforts by Woonsocket City Councilor Valerie Gonzalez were responsible for the bus’s first arrival, and now its reopening. Staff are being finalized by the Community Care Alliance, responsible for programming and staffing.

The new funding is for less than a year, approximately 8 months – so they are encouraged to find on-going, permanent fundraising so it never has to close again.

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Homelessness News

Tara Booker, an experienced professional in the homelessness field, hired to the position of Executive Director of Homelessness and Community Supports in spring of 2024 – has left the position.

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Pallet Shelters – Echo Village in RI empty – in use around US

Working in Tampa as Pallet Shelters – run by Catholic Charities

Tampa HOPE officials say they have 99 pallets, and 89 of them are for one person each. The remaining 10 fit two. Each pallet can be assembled in about an hour and cost around $15,000. Officials say they’re on track to add 90 more units by mid-2025.

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RI Department of Housing submits their plan to the General Assembly

On December 31, 2024, the Rhode Island Department of Housing submitted its Housing Organizational Plan Report to the General Assembly, calling for a streamlined governance structure to maximize state resources, align efforts across agencies, and ensure accountability as the state continues to tackle ongoing housing challenges. Developed with input from stakeholders, the report provides an in-depth review of housing-related functions across state departments, quasi-public agencies, boards, and commissions. 

The report calls out governance options and a final recommendation for consideration. The recommended structure centralizes policy and strategic planning within the Department of Housing, streamlines funding, and creates direct leadership connections with RIHousing, the Interagency Council on Homelessness and a newly created Interagency Council on Housing Production and Preservation.

“The state’s housing crisis demands coordinated action,” said Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard. “This report outlines a clear path forward, establishing a governance structure that ensures efficiency, clarity, and accountability. By consolidating resources and aligning efforts, we can deliver meaningful change for families and communities in need. Our work has just begun, and we are committed to working collaboratively to create lasting solutions for Rhode Islanders. We are grateful to the many stakeholders who participated in every phase of this process and provided invaluable insight and feedback.” 

Successful implementation will require a phased and comprehensive transition plan that ensures continuity of operations and involves ongoing stakeholder engagement. As a next step, the Department of Housing will be working to draft legislation to implement the statutory changes necessary to implement the recommended governance structure. 

For further details and to read the full report, visit the 141 page Housing Governance Report 2024 | Department of Housing 

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Each month we proudly publish Street Sights, Rhode Island’s only homeless magazine and resource guide – here is the January 2025 issue:

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New Organization – Coalition Reporter Pat Ford, founds LIBERTARIAN MUTUAL AID

Everyone in the media and news biz knows Pat Ford – ready with his tripod to film a contentious City Council meeting or ask the questions that need to be asked at a press conference. Pat recently founded a new organization after a chance meeting and a need that has taken him on a parallel direction to the work he does.

This is the Libertarian Mutual Aid organization:

Pat explains, in his own words: “A chance meeting at a homeless encampment … Coalition Reporter & Libertarian Mutual Aid Founder Pat Ford was at a Press Conference, to discuss the upcoming forced eviction of dozens of unhoused Rhode Islanders. In the blazing midsummer heat, a young man approached Pat for a “cold bottle of water” … By coincidence, Pat’s truck held 2 pallets of bottled water, originally destined for a “drop in center”. Realizing that despite the literal millions spent by Rhode Island Government to “combat” homelessness, including the appointment of a well paid “Housing Czar”, no one had thought to provide folks living outdoors with the most basic of needs. Clean. Drinking. Water. 

That day, 40 Packs was delivered to each tent. And, the water project was formed. Water is now delivered to encampments & drop in centers across Northern Rhode Island. Your generosity will help with delivery costs, and additional foodstuffs as funds are available.”

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The national report on homelessness, done by HUD each year calls out Rhode Island for its #2 placement, noting:

State-Level Estimates of Individuals Experiencing Chronic Patterns of Homelessness
States with the largest number of individuals experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness in 2024 were California and Washington. California alone accounted for 44 percent of all individuals who experienced chronic homelessness in the country. In Washington, 49 percent of all individuals had experienced chronic patterns of homelessness – the highest rate in the country. Rhode Island is second, with 48 percent. See Appendix A for more detailed, state-level information.

Appendix A:

It is Monday morning, Jan. 6, 2024 – 22 degrees

This is a developing story