Government
Public services and government action
State House plaza homeless encampment cleared by Governor McKee
The State House homeless encampment was cleared by Governor McKee less than a day after a Superior Court Judge ruled he could. Workers from a disaster recovery service, Single Source, were ransacking the tents and belongings of unhoused people to throw into a truck for delivery to a landfill.
RI Housing Secretary Saal letter fails to grasp the reality of homeless encampments
As reported by Bill Bartholowmew, Rhode Island Secretary of Housing Josh Saal sent a letter to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness (Coalition) requesting "real time" information about the those experiencing homelessness in the state. "It's so complex," said Jennifer Barrera, Chief Strategy Officer at the RI Coalition to End Homelessness. "I think one of the reasons people may doubt the number is because they don't understand the complexity of what we're dealing with."
State House eviction hearing delayed as Judge reviews "mountain of paperwork"
Rhode Island Superior Court Judge David Cruise spoke for all of two minutes in court on Wednesday as he explained his reasons for continuing the case until Friday at 11:30am. "After reviewing the new filings from last night, after court closed," said Judge David Cruise, "I'm going to review and work on them and we're going to come back here on Friday for a decision."
Governor responds to Superior Court homeless eviction complaint
Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee responded to Judge David Cruise's decision to continue hearings that will take up the constitutionality of his decision to evict a homeless encampment from the State House plaza in both words and deed.
ACLU & Center For Justice file complaint to prevent State House encampment eviction
A hearing on the injunction request is scheduled to be heard tomorrow at 10am before Rhode Island Superior Court Judge David Cruise. There will be a protest outside the courtroom starting at 9:30am.
RI coalition urges Senator Reed to support Sanders' Yemen War Powers resolution
Over 20 Rhode Island elected leaders and organizations have signed onto a letter to United States Senator Jack Reed (Democrat, Rhode Island) encouraging him to vote for and publicly support Senator Sanders's Yemen War Powers resolution (WPR) (S.J.Res.56), which is expected to be voted on later today (December 13).
Governor McKee claims those opposed to State House eviction want to keep people homeless
After Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee helped cut the ribbon on Venterra Group’s U.S. office's Providence offices he took a moment to answer questions from the press about his efforts to evict a homeless protest from the State House plaza.
As freezing temps take hold, hundreds remain homeless in Rhode Island
Over 385 people suffered outdoors in Rhode Island last night as temperatures dropped into the low twenties. In Woonsocket on Sunday, no matter the weather, volunteers set up to deliver around 150 meals to those who are unhoused or in poverty.
McKee's homeless eviction order temporarily blocked as protesters gather at State House
At the end of a protest to prevent the eviction of a homeless encampment on State House land, protesters learned that the courts have stayed the eviction, at least until Wednesday.
Governor McKee disputes the reality of homelessness in RI; Here are the facts
The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness estimates that there are 80+ encampments across the state and that around 385 people are sleeping unhoused, including families with children, every night. Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, who is actively seeking to evict an encampment on the State House plaza, disputed these numbers on Thursday.