Homeless in RI: The inexcusable disconnect

Publisher’s note: After years of advocacy, the Interagency Council on Homelessness, established over 8 years ago, but never having met – has as its mandate the creation of a statewide plan to end homelessness – was pushed and pulled to its birth nearly single handedly by advocate, Vincent Marzullo. The group has now held two meetings under the management of the interim Secretary of Housing, Deborah Goddard.

We acknowledge the steadfast work of Steve Ahlquist for agreeing for RINewsToday to take a clip from his recent YouTube full video on the last meeting – without being there it would be impossible to truly report accurately on, as Vin describes it, “The inexcusable disconnect”.

Here is Marzullo addressing the meeting of the Interagency Council, which attempted to adjourn with no public comment, though many unhoused individuals had traveled to be at the 8am meeting – but then granted a 15 minute extension after the longer than 1 hour meeting. The emotions capture the crisis.

The temperature is 19 degrees this morning. Snow is expected all day tomorrow. The first day of winter – the day the Pallet Shelters were promised by the Governor to be open, was December 21st. March 20th is the first day of spring. Some warming shelters have closed. The status of the DaVinci Center, which has indicated it can no longer serve as an overnight shelter, is unclear.

This is the first of 3 new “Homeless in RI” features which will publish over the next week.

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From Vincent Marzullo:

I wish to share with the public my recent written email (see below) to the Governor and his key staff members regarding the current unhoused crisis and the need for a “unified command”.  That communication was a follow-up to my conversation with Governor McKee during the MLK Day breakfast at Rhodes. 

Unfortunately, I have yet to receive either an acknowledgement or response from the Governor or any of his staff.  Frankly, its bewildering and disingenuous considering his State of the State Address remarks where he asks Rhode Islanders to support “Team Rhode Island” and take a seat at the “Table”.  Where and how do the “better angels” of our state help the Unhoused with their critical needs?   

Addressing this multi-faceted, humanitarian work requires clear communications, coordination, collaboration, & intergovernmental cooperation.  We currently don’t have that.  There is a significant void in leadership and the use of authority – resulting in loss of life and inhumane treatment to a voiceless and vulnerable population.

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Governor,

I wanted to follow-up my brief comments to you this morning at the MLK Day Breakfast.  You continue to extend an invitation to Rhode Islanders to join you at the “Table” to address pressing public matter, yet we have no “unified command” to verify and assess the Unhoused needs; and then to deploy adequate resources to improve delivery and save lives.  54 individuals died last year due to the impact of homelessness on their well-being. 

I’m certain the benefits of a “unified command” can be outlined and validated by your respected EMA Director, Marc Pappas.   This public issue begs for an “all hands-on deck” approach.  Both a proactive “command” and a fully/properly engaged “Interagency Council on Homelessness” would provide greater coordination and better execution.  (the recent reconvening after an 8-year recess, the Council didn’t have a quorum, and its leadership seems unfocused to its legal mandate.)

As you may know, I’m familiar with this work. When I served as the RI Director (federal) for the Corporation for National/Community Service, I was deployed a variety of times to support FEMA in response to Presidential Disaster Declarations.  I was the point person/Federal Disaster Cadre Coordinator at the FEMA Joint Field Office (JFO) who would bring in and oversee 100-300 AmeriCorps members to support shelter operations, donation management, 211 call center/follow-up, aid HUD Housing Relocation, conduct intakes, and perform community outreach.  My 2008 deployment to TX and the diversified use of 300 AmeriCorps NCCC members in response to Hurricane Ike and its devastation led to the establishment of FEMA Corps. For many years (2007-14), I chaired the RI Citizens Corps Council at the request of RI EMA leadership.  Additionally, I’m a member of the RI Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and aided 30 mission assignments during COVID-19.

Ever since my temporary assignment at the DaVinci Center from April to June 2023, I’ve immersed & reconnected myself to the unhoused community and some of their service providers.  Many of these agencies I supported with VISTA members over my 31 years with National Service: Travelers Aid Society, Crossroads, Amos House, Advent House, the Warm Shelter, PEMA, RI EMA, the RI Coalition to End Homelessness, Habitat for Humanity, Coalition Against Domestic Violence, LISC, RI Food Bank, public housing authorities, a few CDC’s (community development corporations), etc.

Please know that I’m available to meet with you if that’s helpful.  My only focus is to achieve a more humanitarian handling of the challenges facing our Unhoused, the service delivery system, and the impact on municipalities.  Thank you for listening – looking forward to a seat at the “Table”.   

Vincent Marzullo served for 31 years as a federal civil rights/social justice Director in Rhode Island with the Corporation for National & Community Service. Last year, Vin served as the Interim Executive Director of the DaVinci Community Center in Providence and is a Board member of the Senior Agenda
Coalition of Rhode Island. He also volunteers weekly at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and Mathewson Street.

Marzullo’s last article, summer, 2023, on homelessness in RI with RINewsToday:

Homeless in RI: A journey to make Rhode Island homeless free – Vincent Marzullo