Homeless in RI: Leaving the light on as lights dim at Armory. Sanctioned camping. Dignity Bus…

Get on the Dignity Bus in Woonsocket

Plans have been underway for a bus that would provide shelter for approximately 20 people to be housed at Holy Trinity Church’s property. It would be managed by the Community Care Alliance in Woonsocket. Funding for 6 months – approximately $90K – would be provided by Rhode Island Foundation to, “staff the bus for the first six months contingent on the purchase of the bus – presumably by the State – and the State executing an agreement with CCA to manage the bus.“

“The custom-fabricated bus will have enough “sleeping pods” to keep 20 people off the street each night as a short-term shelter solution,” said Community Care Alliance CEO Ben Lessing in the Woonsocket Call. Total funding has been estimated at less than $200K.

Here is what is happening in Florida where the Dignity Bus Solution is over a year old now:

The Dignity Bus models seems unique to Woonsocket and the RI Foundation confirms they are not funding one anywhere else in Rhode Island.

We have also heard from the bus vendor in Florida that the Governor’s office and RI Housing are not providing funding and the project may not happen.

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As the Armory closes… Motel 6 keeps the light on – and expands

Approximately half of the “residents” at the Cranston St. Armory will be moving to the Motel 6 in Warwick, on Jefferson Blvd, joining about 50 others who have been there for the past year.

Mayor Picozzi let people know about this development with this statement:

“Last week I was informed by the Governor’s office that the state would be housing 55 homeless people at Motel 6. This is in addition to the 40 that have been housed there since the Fall. The state had contracted with Thrive Behavioral Health to administer that program.

The state has contracted with an agency called Open Doors to administer the additional 55 residents.

Last week I met with the state’s Secretary of Housing Stefan Pryor, a representative of the agency, and members of my police and fire command staff. We asked the agency about onsite staff, security, and other aid that the residents would be provided.

My public safety officials showed statistics and data on increased calls for service at Motel Six since the Fall and last year when the NYLO Hotel was being used as a shelter.

Our concern is that our resources and manning are stretched thin already and more calls could lead to having additional personnel working on some shifts or days which would be very expensive for the city but necessary for public safety.

I requested a meeting with the Governor and we met yesterday along with police and fire. We showed him our data and shared our concerns. I said that this could end up being very expensive for the city and he agreed and was very receptive to try to work out some type of reimbursement arrangement. He asked for some additional information which we are putting together and then we’ll meet again.

I was told that for the new 55 rooms, first preference will be given to those that have been sheltered at the Cranston Street Armory. The agency plans to start moving people in this week.

I will keep you all informed of any new developments.”

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Motel 6 short term or new semi-permanent home?

The state acknowledges approximately 50 people have been living at the Motel 6 since the fall – 6 months ago. What has their progress been in finding housing? Thrive Behavioral Health manages those living there – we have sent a request for how services work at this location.

There were limited number of rooms available for public renting, just under $100. It is not clear if travelers making a reservation are told that nearly the entire hotel is occupied by people experiencing homelessness.

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Homeless advocates

Homeless advocates are nearly in panic mode as the Cranston Street Armory closes in 5 days. Eric Hirsch, professor at Providence College and a leading homeless advocate has been working with homeless groups – and recently led a demonstration and request to speak to Mayor Smiley.

They were in demand of 3 things from the city – A list of locations of vacant buildings and land – Purchase 100 pallet shelters for Providence – for the Providence Police to leave outdoor encampments alone and to provide toilets and trash bins at their encampments.

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Sanctioned camping

Sanctioned camping expands on the idea of homeless encampments where officially designated areas can be identified where those without homes or emergency shelter access can “camp” – the area is sanctioned by the community and not seen as illegal. The National Coalition for the Homeless developed a statement opposing states that “sweep encampments to “clean” the streets” – saying “they should provide services such as public toilets, showers, and trash receptacles to address cleanliness issues without evicting people and throwing away all their possessions. Finally, they should listen to those struggling with housing about their needs and not just the home owners who want to hide the problem.”

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In Worcester, it’s a patchwork of options

Looking at a nearby city may provide ideas for Rhode Island. Worcester has decided, as spring arrived, to not identify, at this time, more temporary shelters, but to focus on “finding homeless residents spots in transitional and permanent-supportive housing”. With a 60-bed low-shelter housing unit closed in March, a church shelter was opened, but met with considerable problems with neighbors. At that time there were approximately 850 homeless in transition.

The next step in Worcester’s saga was to try the Pallet Shelter route, using Boston and Portland, OR as examples, with an attempt to set up 30 such pallets, primarily in parking lots (a Showcase cinema and a college). After an initial budget of $625K+ mushroomed to $1.5 million, the project was scrapped.

The city returned to a church shelter concept. In the area over 800 more homeless are living in hotels. 20 beds are in an old state hospital facility. Others are in extended-stay hotel rooms. was being looked at to provide electricity water etc.

The greater Worcester area is often surrounded by encampments though the city’s Quality of Life team sweeps the encampments regularly.

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Immigration and the end of Title 42 begins impacting cities

Boston Mayor Wu reports that between 40 and 60 people a day who are migrants from the southern border are beginning to appear asking for food and housing. As buses are used to transport people into the US, one can only imagine if, when faced with the existing crisis of homelessness, buses of new people arrive with similar and more needs.

In NYC, Mayor Adams is expecting more buses to arrive and he has a plan to send the buses into northern New York areas, where some communities are taking legal steps to stop such a plan. The Mayor has said that there are no beds or shelter locations anywhere and their services are maxxed out, with hotels full, and even a plan to close streets and erect tents. Some tent groupings are going up in Central Park.

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See other recent Homeless in RI updates, here: https://rinewstoday.com/?s=homeless+in+ri