Homeless in RI: No Dignity. No Shelter. New State Plan on Day One.

When Governor McKee and Deborah Goddard, Secretary of the Rhode Island Department of Housing, announced the “new” way people experiencing homelessness would access services, beginning on October 1st, there was, by all measures, hope for improvement.

And, as the weather has stayed unseasonably warm, we know that it’s only a matter of a day or two or a week before temps will fall below freezing. The un-seasonableness of it all may have people letting their guard down and not planning early for their housing emergencies.

But it was the other night that advocates worked with two men who were in need of emergency housing. Not so much because the weather was cold, but that their need was great.

RINewsToday has run over 30 stories in the last 5 years about the “Homeless in RI”. This is the story that came to us in the last few days: 

“Two people planning to sleep where they usually did, near the Providence Train Station were told that was not allowed any more. A friend called the CES line and got a recording:

‘Please stay on the line for English’ then a message in Spanish to press “2”.  Then dead silence for 25 seconds before the message continues in English. The message says that the CES was no longer in operation and anyone seeking shelter should contact a case manager, outreach worker, drop in center, go to the shelter directly or contact one of the regional access points or to stay on the line to get United Way 211.

211 picked up with a recording to Choose: 1-Crossroads (Providence), 2-Open Doors (Pawtucket), 3-Com Care Alliance (Woonsocket), 4-Warm Shelter (southern RI), 5-Newport, 6-Sojourners House, 7-House of Hope via Shower to Empower.

The friend chose #1 for Crossroads, and got the front desk person, Joyce, who told me that they had no beds, just the community room where people can sit/sleep in a chair at a table – but no laying down allowed.  (Back aching, swollen ankles, sleep deprivation, resulting.)  Also, they can only have one bag to be admitted. No exceptions.

Each of the 2 men had 4 bags and [their] walkers. They were told by “Joyce” that they would have to dispose of two of the bags and could only have one bag each.  (2 bags, 1 bag?)

A call was then made to Open Doors at 401-781-5808, twice, and a message [was left] but received no call back.

The person who was helping called [one of ] the people in need back to let him know about Crossroads’ rules and he said they had already been told they had no beds.

By 8 PM the 2 men decided to stay outside and hunker down for the night. The good Samaritan apologized he could not access help, especially that they are both in poor health and have great difficulty getting around. Someone was going to try Better Lives in the morning on their behalf.

The good Samaritan got up at 6 AM and tried to engage again, calling 277-4316 and chose “1 for Crossroads” and was connected to the front desk. Ryan Hopper (3rd shift staffer) answered and repeated the rules that Joyce had given him last night. He said they have to enforce the one bag per person rule because they had no room for more than that.

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Phone Call to the Coordinated Entry System (CES) – with the newly designed system of how to access housing for the homeless or people at risk of becoming homeless:

• People in desperate need of shelter have to “dispose of their extra bags” before being allowed in.
• Another rule: people seeking a shelter bed through Crossroads have to go to their Community Room every night consecutively if they want to receive help getting placed at a shelter with beds. Ryan assured me that if they miss just one night staying at the warming room they are ineligible for a shelter bed, even if they spent the night sleeping outside.
• Also, no admittance after 10:30 PM and they have to be out of the Community Room at 7 AM, back on the street.
• Ryan explained that if they miss a night in the community room, it is assumed they have an alternative place to stay, even if it is outside.

The Good Samaritan summarized it this way:  There are empty beds in the system every night because of the unwillingness of the system to help homeless folks who have been forced to live outside make the transition to a shelter bed.  What can you fit in one bag if your ability to survive depends on it?

It is a reality that is not recognized by the homeless service system.  If Crossroads did see the homeless as people struggling to survive, then they would make storage room for their essential belongings (not furniture, household items) but at least clothing, personal documents, survival gear like a tent or tarp, etc.

No wonder the number of un-sheltered homeless is on the rise in RI.  With Crossroad’s $20+ annual budget you would think they could find space for a few more bags, but more importantly, be able to understand that sleeping on the streets or in a tent outside is not a humane or reasonable alternative to warmth, some food, a toilet and a shelter bed.

The winter is coming and the number of un-sheltered homeless is increasing. Leaving people on the streets will be deadly. I don’t see the current system – or the changes – ready.  We need a responsive, humane, coordinated and adequately resourced system.”

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Crossroads Response

RINewsToday contacted Mike Raia, of Half Street Group, consultant with Crossroads on Thursday, October 2nd. On Monday, October 6th we received this response:

“We don’t have anything additional to add. Questions about RAP and its processes should be directed to the state. Our bag policy is in place to ensure that we have space for as many people as in the community room. Thank you.” – Mike Raia

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Governor McKee Response

We reached out to Governor McKee for a response since the new system was announced by the Governor. Olivia DaRocha, Press Secretary, Office of Governor Daniel J. McKee responded:  “I am going to refer you to Housing for this”.

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Speaker of the House Joe Shekarchi

Knowing that the Speaker is in receipt of the scenario that has occured we reached out for a comment.  Larry Berman, Chief of Staff, replied: “Speaker Shekarchi is aware of the situation, contacted the Office of Housing as soon as he learned about it, and is awaiting a response. He is concerned and is hopeful that this will be addressed shortly.”

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RI Office of Housing

RINewsToday reached out to “Housing” on Sunday, October 5th.  Meg Ivatts, Chief of Staff, Executive Office of Housing, responded after we reached out again:  “New since October 1, those seeking emergency shelter no longer need to be assessed for placement—They can simply go to a shelter with available beds. RAP (Regional Access Point) staff can facilitate emergency placements but contact with RAP staff is not required for an overnight placement. Since those changes took place, more than 50 people have enrolled with emergency shelters.

Calls to a RAP are typically converted to business-hour appointments to discuss housing options. Appointments are also made through contact with street outreach teams.

While Crossroads did not have beds available at that particular moment, it did offer sheltering from the cold in their community room. As a health concern, most shelters or warming centers have rules limiting the amount of bags/belongings in order to minimize the spread of scabies and bed bugs.”

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Homeless Advocates

Those who reached out to relay the scenario of the two men with walkers in need of emergency housing made several comments, but the word “inhumanity” was used three separate times by three separate people.  The advocates are well known in homeless circles.

Janice Luongo, from Street Sights (RINewsToday publishes Street Sights, RI’s only newsletter written by and for the homeless population) originally called out the new plan for homeless “triaging” as being done without the consultation of advocates working in the field

Vincent Marzullo has been requesting a meeting to review the “new plan” and winter shelter plan since September 19th. No meeting has yet been scheduled.

Bernie Boudreau, who volunteers 10-15 hours a week on the homeless issue, working directly with people. Boudreau explained:

Critics Say It Misses the Point

Outreach workers and public-health advocates argue that the rule, though well-intentioned, does little to prevent infestation and instead keeps people out of shelter.

“If someone’s belongings have bed bugs, one bag — or their very clothing — will carry them too,” said one outreach volunteer. “Bed bugs don’t stop at the zipper of the second bag.”

Experts say genuine prevention requires laundry access, regular cleaning, and sealed storage, not a numerical limit on possessions.

“You’re asking someone to choose between shelter and their property,” another advocate said. “That’s not care — that’s containment.”

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Shelter or Warming Center – Sleep or Sit up?

• “Shelter” implies you can sleep and rest safely.

• “Warming center” or “emergency housing” under their definition often means just being indoors, not sleeping.

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A Broader Problem: No Storage, No Rest

Other U.S. cities have found ways to bridge the gap.

• San Diego’s Transitional Storage Center offers 400 lockers for unhoused residents.

• Los Angeles’ “The Bin” maintains more than 2,500 secure containers.

• Boston’s St. Francis House provides day-use lockers for guests.

A small setup — roughly 20 lockers, security camera, and signage — could launch for under $5,000, using community or grant funding.

“We can fix this with modest investment — and compassion,” said one outreach worker. “People shouldn’t have to throw away what little they own just to sit up in a chair all night.”

Until people have a place to store belongings safely and rest humanely, many will continue facing the same impossible choice — carry everything, lose everything, or stay awake all night to keep it.

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RI now publishes a Homelessness Data Dashboard

The Dashboard tracks available and occupied “beds” for individuals and families, by city. It was said to be available in “”real time” – but the last time the Dashboard was updated was 5 days ago:

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Family Units

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Next Steps, Rhode Island

What will be done now that we know some obstacles may have been addressed (not needing to call – can show up in person) – only to have set up other obstacles.

Have the homeless or those at risk been at the table to help design the system? Have the homeless advocates been meaningfully engaged?

A beautiful mural is being finished at one of the Crossroads building – elegant – uplifting – hopeful – dignified. We could not find the budget for these murals, but assume they were funded with private funds.

Thursday, October 9th the RI Weather will have a high of 56 and a low of 38.

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Our story on October 2, 2025, RINewsToday’s story on: Homeless in RI: Regional Access Points Announced, Emergency Shelters, State Report

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