Subscribe!
Homeless in RI: There are no beds. But, Gov. McKee on WPRO, “Beds are available right now”.
It was a routine “Ask the Governor” segment on WPRO with Gene Valicenti today – Friday morning. We listened in in anticipation of a question about the Pallet Shelters (story upcoming). Imagine hearing that there are – on this day – more shelter beds than are needed – and how one homeless shelter is only at 66% capacity.
Here is that interview: Jump on at 27.40 to hear that segment.
We immediately called the RI Coalition to End Homelessness. We were on hold for over 2 hours to the CES line. We wrote to the senior and communications staff. We received 3 out of office messages, and then this from a senior person at the agency:
Staff taking time off
“This is a particularly challenging time of year. Our senior staff has taken time off at various times during the holidays. We wouldn’t be available to adequately speak to the details regarding the Governor’s statement today. My apologies for the inconvenience this may cause you in writing your story. I look forward to working with you in the future.”
We said that her words would be her quote. She came back and said she would prefer not to be quoted. We asked further questions, and provided a deadline, and are not giving her name at this time. We have not heard back.
___
Providence City Councilor Justin Roias Calls on Governor McKee to Declare State of Emergency, Open ECHO Village
Yesterday, we received a statement from Providence City Councilor Justin Roias (Ward 4) who calls on Governor Dan McKee to take immediate action to open ECHO Village and protect unhoused residents. The 45 pallet shelter units are fully constructed in the ward the Councilor represents, but bureaucratic barriers have prevented their use. As temperatures plummet and the need for shelter grows more dire, Councilor Roias demands that Governor McKee declare a state of emergency and open ECHO Village through executive order.
We re-contacted Councilman Roias after the Governor’s interview on WPRO and he responded:
“Today on talk radio, when Gene Valicenti pressed Governor McKee about my demand for him to declare a state of emergency and open emergency shelters immediately, his response was nothing short of appalling. He laughed. He scoffed. He dismissed the urgent reality that people in our state are literally freezing to death. Providers who work directly with the Coordinated Entry System will tell you the truth—our shelters are stretched to their breaking points while ECHO Village sits empty.
Every night the Governor delays, more people are at risk of dying in the cold. This isn’t a game. This isn’t political theater. This is life and death. Right now, 45 warm beds sit empty at Echo Village. All it takes is one signature—just one moment of leadership—to open them and save lives. And yet, Governor McKee does nothing. When people die on our streets this winter—and they will—it will be because of his refusal to act. Leadership means stepping up in a crisis, not laughing it off. Governor McKee, history will remember your failure, but more importantly, so will the families of those who freeze to death under your watch. Do your job. Lives depend on it.”
___
Homeless say, “When will this madness end?”
RINewsToday is preparing our monthly “Homeless in RI” article for Monday. As part of that publication, we publish Street Sights, Rhode Island’s Only Homeless Magazine and Resource Guide”. This Guide is written by and for Rhode Island’s homeless population.
Page one of their newsletter:
THE LIGHTS ARE ON AT THE STATEHOUSE BUT WHO IS WORKING FOR OUR UNHOUSED FRIENDS?
The people in charge – elected officials and their appointees, just don’t care about human life. There is no plan, no vision, no leadership, no direction, there is only death, despair and criminalization. When will this madness end?
Hey Governor, let’s make our unhoused friends #1 priority in 2025!
CALL TO ACTION: The 2025 Legislative Session starts on January 7. Contact your state representatives and senators today to demand immediate action on homelessness. If we really want to eliminate homelessness we all need to work together, speak up and demand that Gov. McKee make ending homelessness a priority! Call the State House (401-222-2983) or, if you want to get more involved, contact [email protected].
___
RI Department of Housing
Emily Marshall, Chief of Information and Public Relations, at Rhode Island Department of Housing was contacted with the same noon deadline. She acknowledged the request. No response received.
___
Tara Granahan on WPRO
Tara, in the 9am to noon segment on WPRO radio, picked up the story at approximately 11:10am this morning – calling the Governor’s office, the Coalition on Homeless, and receiving word that there is a mother with 4 children who is currently homeless. She gave the Governor’s office until noon to respond, and as we go to press, there has been no response.
A mother with four children.
She called Crossroads at the request of a caller who works in the system and was told there are no beds, but even if they were, people have to come from the CES waiting list.
As we go to press, two and a half hours passed and we were still on hold at CES.
The Governor’s office has not responded.
The RI Coalition to End Homelessness has not responded.
Tara has taken the woman’s phone and given her her cell number and email to try to help her. [email protected] is her email.
Temps are expected to fall to the teens by Monday.
Why won’t they use Pawtucket Memorial as a shelter? Or any of these abandoned buildings? I know it’s because they don’t want to, that’s why!
The building is now in total disrepair and boarded up after a big water leak and passing in ownership to a developer who promised to use it for homeless veterans and then did not – now it’s in the courts.
Nancy that is what the Governor did with us when we tried to launch a Dignity bus with the state. I could operate an entire fleet in Rhode island with the money they spend on services.
Anthony – Dignity Bus in Woonsocket has new funding – should be open this week – ongoing funding seems to be an issue – this round is for 8 months.
[…] Homeless in RI: There are no beds. But, Gov. McKee on WPRO, “Beds are available right now̶… Posted in Health, Politics Share on Twitter Share Share on Facebook Share Share on Linkedin Share […]
MAGINE THERE’S NO BOTTOM
by
Rev. Duane Clinker, Pastor
Open Table of Christ, United Methodist Church, Providence, Rhode Island
12/24
The freezing happens slowly at first. There are no shelter beds open to you.
Your tent and meager belongings were destroyed weeks ago by the authorities in
violation of the RI Homeless Bill of Rights. It is night and you are cold. You try to
just keep moving to stay warm. Then a sharp wind begins. It quickly cuts
through anything you have found to wear. It goes right to the bones. The
shivering starts, spreads quickly. You can’t stop it. Your whole body shakes.
You’ve got to get inside, but all doors are closed to you now. There is no rescue.
Then the whip of the wind begins its final work, lashing at you. Your feet and
hands hurt and then go numb. Your fingers don’t work. Then the shivering stops
and you realize your body is freezing. You have already tried everything. You
couldn’t walk it off. That doorway didn’t help stop the wind. That dumpster is
locked. You can’t break into the back of that truck. The terror and disorientation
takes over. The heart slows, it seems the nerves themselves freeze, in what
almost feels like comfort before the end.
We who are older, remember what young and middle-age adults have never
experienced: a time when unhoused persons were rare on public streets. a time before people begging at intersections were a common sight.
It was
In those days there was still a kind of safety net for the people. If the
unthinkable disease, or job loss, or disability happened, your economic fall might
be stopped before you hit the street. You might at least be able to rent a low cost
public housing unit to help you survive. Now, such things are all but forgotten.
Today the historic and economic causes of the housing crisis are ignored. Cuts in
government housing programs began in earnest in the 1980s. In the 1990s
perhaps the biggest fell quietly. The US government banned new HUD public
housing units from being built, basically leaving things to the “free market.” But
free-markets seek the highest profit, and there are more profits in expensive
housing than in poor.
Now, mega-wealth balloons at the top while any effective actions on the problems
at the bottom are endlessly postponed in avalanches meetings with no action.
And so, the wealthy gain new power to take even more.
Today most young working people cannot even dream of affording a home.
(When did that become acceptable)? Now, any of us who experience a job loss or
health failure may find ourselves caught in economic free fall. Prices for rentals
skyrocket.
of 2 2
Our supposed moral compass as a society has been reset by government by the
rich to navigate us away from the “common good.” Instead it points to the right
of excessive wealth by the few at the expense of the all.
A kind of moral cord, a certain human and social obligation, (always frayed in the
best of times), has completely snapped.
Our state is in moral free fall.
There are not nearly enough shelter beds for the unhoused and the waiting list
for new homeless seems endless, and the Governor refuses to act.
Even the few new shelter beds already built are left unoccupied as people huddle
in the cold, because of pointless delays. The governor won’t work to cut the red
tape.
With nowhere but the street left, the governor permits the raiding and seizing of
personal property and the destruction of temporary tents. The governor
refuses to enforce Homeless Bill of Rights.
Vacant public buildings are available for remodeling as emergency shelter that
could provide the hundreds of extra emergency shelter beds needed now. The
Governor refuses to act.
In the midst skyrocketing rents, and evictions. Families live in terror of loosing
the ability to find housing of any type. Cities and towns refuse to open up zoning
to allow more real low income housing and the governor fails to act.
The housing shortage threatens the life and well being of thousands. People will
freeze and will die from sickness made worse by the street. Living without
shelter can take decades off the lives even of those that survive. The Governor’s
Department of Health doesn’t even identify and count the deaths caused by the
crisis.
Is it we who have gone numb?
RI Governor McKee won’t declare a state of emergency
to give him the power to effectively address this problem.
This RI wealth-system pushes new people onto the street daily.
We are in a time of great danger, and not just for those now unhoused.
The governor won’t act.
We are all at risk unless WE do.
And, if not there will soon be no bottom to how far we can fall.
end
This is utterly disgusting, we can’t house our own that were born and raised here but the immigration people get free housing free food free healthcare, there is definitely something wrong with this world!!
Outrageous!!
Burlington VT and Boston have opened pallet shelters and did not experience the roadblocks and stall tactics that RI has thrown in front of 45 pallet shelters opening up at Echo Village!
The staff has taken time off for the holidays ? The homeless in Rhode Island would love to be able to stay in a home with heat and electricity. This is unconscionable!
How can McKee sit in front of a microphone and lie like that? You’ve lost all credibility Mr. McKee.
Try getting a response from the Secretary of Housing, Ms. Goddard, although check out her background first, when she worked for NYC Housing Authority and The Boston Housing Authority. Why this governor thinks she is competent to lead the Department is beyond me. Her track record is abysmal.
Try getting a response from the Speaker and the mostly absent leader of the Senate.
Ask Mayor Smiley why Providence didn’t apply for funding for warming shelters. West Warwick and Woonsocket did.