Cranston issues warning to homeless encampments: Clear out, no exceptions

“These raids not only violate the fundamental rights of individuals experiencing homelessness but also continue to perpetuate a cycle of marginalization and discrimination for Rhode Islanders..."

On Friday morning I visited one of the unhoused encampments in Cranston under threat of eviction. 36 hours earlier members of the Cranston Police Department distributed flyers to those living there telling them that they needed to leave the area or risk arrest and the loss of all their possessions. In all, as many as 60 people were targeted by this eviction. One man told me that when he asked the police where he could go, he was told, "Nowhere in Cranston. All of Cranston is private property."

The police also handed out a list of public services that people could use to get help. The list, said an advocate, was hopelessly outdated. It was from 2008.

Some of the people at the encampment I visited on Friday morning had been there for five years. There were thunderstorms overnight, which had soaked the area, but most had stayed dry inside their tents.

The outreach worker I spoke to told me that the area was usually well-maintained. People put their trash out for collection. Police visited the area regularly and usually spoke to the people there with compassion, genuinely concerned with their safety. Some were apologetic when they issued the eviction orders.

The area I visited formerly had about 14 people living there. To avoid any trouble with the police two people left immediately. Two couples, one in their twenties and one in their thirties or so, were packing their stuff into the vehicle of an outreach worker. They were not going to a shelter, a motel, or an apartment. They were going to another encampment, somewhere outside the City of Cranston.

An older couple in their fifties was packing up their stuff. They planned to walk out sometime later in the day. All the people I interacted with seemed sad to leave.

"We weren't bothering anyone," said a woman to me. "We keep quiet and we keep to ourselves."

"I'm wondering about the homeless encampment raids scheduled for tomorrow morning," I wrote to Cranston Mayor Kenneth Hopkins on Thursday.

"What the hell are you talking about?" replied the Mayor.

I sent the Mayor the press release from the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness and a picture of the notice given to those at the encampments by the Cranston Police Department. (You can read the press release and see the notice below.)

"This is private property. The city has no authority," replied the Mayor.

The Mayor stopped responding when I asked why the Cranston Police Department was involved if the city has no authority.

An advocate told me that Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist has said that the evictions were driven by the property owner, but the police targeted multiple encampments, and the ownership of these locations is not one property owner.

Joey Lindstrom, who does communications for Rhode Island’s Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor, ignored my messages asking for a comment. Secretary Pryor has publicly advocated for a better, more compassionate process in these kinds of evictions. He prefers clearing encampments only after securing decent alternatives for those living there.

This is not the process the City of Cranston initiated last week.

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The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness strongly condemned recent raids on encampments throughout the state, including the recently announced raid in Cranston requiring residents to leave by Friday at 7 am. 

This flyer was distributed to four different encampments in Cranston on Wednesday around 4 pm

“These raids not only violate the fundamental rights of individuals experiencing homelessness but also continue to perpetuate a cycle of marginalization and discrimination for Rhode Islanders who do not have a place to go,” said Caitlin Frumerie, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness.“Rather than resorting to raids and forced evictions, we ask local officials to lead thoughtfully and compassionately. We must prioritize long-term strategies that address the root causes of homelessness and provide sustainable support to those in need. Until we have enough housing for everyone, encampment raids are unfair, inhumane, and cruel."

“January’s Point In Time Count highlighted that 1,810 Rhode Islanders were experiencing homelessness. Additionally, 334 Rhode Islanders were experiencing unsheltered homelessness, a 370% increase from 2019. With shelters consistently at maximum capacity, where are Rhode Islanders expected to go?

“Forcing Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness from the sites they have come to call home serves only to increase their trauma and elevate their vulnerability. Such involuntary relocation pushes them further into the shadows, depriving them of their belongings, community, and critical outreach support, making it even harder for individuals to break free from the cycle of homelessness.

“We call upon city officials in Cranston and other municipalities to immediately halt these encampment raids. We ask that they, instead, engage in meaningful dialogue with service providers to develop and fund compassionate and effective solutions to support those experiencing homelessness. We must join together to create a society that works for all of us and is inclusive, equitable, and responsive to all its members’ needs, especially those most vulnerable.

“We also encourage community members in these cities and across our state to stand in solidarity with those experiencing homelessness, to challenge the stigma and misconceptions surrounding homelessness, and to support organizations and initiatives working to address this critical issue. People experiencing homelessness are people just like us. They are working families; they volunteer in our communities. They should not be defined by their struggles or health issues, and at any given time, any one of us can become homeless. 

“We at the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness remain committed to advocating for the rights of people experiencing homelessness. If you are facing homelessness, please call 401) 277-4316, and agents will be available to help you in your preferred language.”

[Correction: The original statement from the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness stated that there has been a 307% increase in homelessness since 2019. The real number is 370% and that has been corrected above.]