Tuesday, October 03, 2023
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez PHOTO: GoLocal
A coalition of groups announced they will gather at Providence City Hall on Wednesday to demand that Mayor Brett Smiley end the police raids of homeless encampments until those living in them are offered “humane and acceptable shelter and housing alternatives to tents.”
The groups claim, “Providence Police continue to raid homeless encampments without providing acceptable alternative housing or shelter to the residents. Last Friday, September 29th they arrested Michael Nugent at the Orms Street Rte. 95 overpass for trespassing on state property. This follows a recent violent raid of the Charles Street encampment.”
The groups making the demands include the RI Homeless Advocacy Project, Hope, Better Lives Rhode Island, DARE, GTUARI, and Rhode Island Poor People’s Campaign.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE — SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Pallet home, image provided by Prof. Hirsch
“The Mayor has previously done little to nothing to provide additional shelter beds for the hundreds of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in his city. He has failed to erect or even effectively plan for rapidly deployable shelters, and is instead sending police to raid encampments,” said the groups.
The coalition of groups is demanding that Smiley “stop the raids and start the aid.”
Further, the groups are asking Smiley, to “Instruct the Providence police to hold harmless and not arrest, ticket, or harass those in homeless encampments in Providence, given that his administration has done little to nothing to provide alternatives to their tents.”
And, the groups are calling on Smiley to “identify sites for, purchase, and have shipped to Providence enough rapidly deployable shelters to provide beds for 200 individuals in at least three separate shelter villages. Provide wrap-around supportive services as well as electricity, bathrooms, showers, and meal sites for residents.”
In 2022, Erich Hirsch appeared on GoLocal LIVE and discussed the benefits of pallet homes.
Homeless person on the steps of Providence City Hall PHOTO: GoLocal
State Announced $10 Million in Funding
The Rhode Island Department of Housing recently announced that it is issuing $10 million in funding to 27 organizations for 66 projects to provide emergency shelter, street outreach operations, housing problem-solving, supportive services, and rent assistance through rapid rehousing.
“As the winter approaches, we are significantly increasing our commitment to programs addressing homelessness in Rhode Island – including the expansion of funding for shelters and services throughout the state,” said Secretary of Housing Stefan Pryor. “We are fortunate that so many strong partners have brought forward such strong proposals. The applicants did well to consider the five new principles for project funding that guided our decisions. Specifically, that we are aiming our resources at reducing unsheltered homelessness, emphasizing permanent housing solutions, offering client-centered approaches, pursuing cost-effectiveness, and enabling data sharing and data-based decision making.”
According to the department, the deployment of these resources will “reach Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness across the state and will provide the support many people need to obtain permanent housing.”
The event is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:00 PM at Providence City Hall. Scheduled to speak are:
Terri Wright, Direct Action for Rights and Equality, Providence
Eric Hirsch, Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project, Professor of Sociology, Providence College
Related Articles
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
