Oped: Is Governor McKee looking to retaliate against homelessness service providers who question him?
This isn’t leadership - it’s pigheaded ignorance and deliberate obfuscation.
The Boston Globe’s Alexa Gagosz reported [on X] that Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee “wants to reevaluate the contract that the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness has to run the Coordinated Entry System”—the HUD-mandated shelter priority list. This comes less than a week after the Coalition’s Executive Director, Kimberly Simmons, issued a statement critical of the Governor’s inaction on the crisis of homelessness in the State.
The Governor has long disputed rates of homelessness in RI. On December 9, 2022, I wrote:
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.
“The 80 number, I don’t believe is accurate,” said the Governor, who later, and contradictorily said, “I’m not disputing any numbers.”
The Governor added that there is no list of the 80+ encampments.
“I know the advocates have that list,” said Uprise RI.
“They don’t,” said Governor McKee, only it turns out they do, and that information was provided to the State this Fall.
When the Governor first proposed using the Armory as a warming shelter, he planned on sheltering 50 people at the site a day. Over 200 people sought refuge there daily.
Governor McKee will forever be unable to address homelessness as long as he fails to grasp its significance and scope.
This isn’t leadership - it’s pigheaded ignorance and deliberate obfuscation.
And this points to a systemic issue with our system:
If a service provider tells a politically unpopular truth, they face loss of funds and even extinction at the hands of politicians more concerned about appearances than facts.
Good people doing hard work find themselves tiptoeing around the egos of narcissists.
Great piece Steve -- I agree, it's time for the Governor to step up on this issue -- recognize that homelessness is a serious problem and issue a state emergency, take charge and finish the pallet shelters, and work closely with the House leadership -- which already sees homelessness for what it is -- a life-threatening problem which is claiming lives of Rhode-Islanders as we speak.
I'm also very upset how he is treating the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness. This group is doing great work collecting the data that prove this issue is a critical emergency needing his leadership. Instead of trying to squelch their voice and work, he should be partnering with them a using their data to create solutions.
This is one issue the Governor could improve his credibility on by stepping up. Especially because things are only going to get worse over the next few winter months -- not better. Ignoring data and facts won't make it go away.
Retaliation against people who have worked hard to help the homeless is not only pigheaded it is also very sick and shortsighted!