Over 100 people turn out in support of the Providence City Council's stand against homelessness
"...this resolution is a line in the sand. It’s a refusal to accept the excuse that ‘we’re doing the best we can’ when the best we can has been a chair in a cold room."
The Providence City Council approved a resolution Thursday evening calling on Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee to take immediate action and declare a public health state of emergency to address the homelessness crisis. Councilmember Justin Roias introduced the resolution, which will be sent to the offices of Governor McKee and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley.
On Tuesday, Councilmembers Justin Roias and Miguel Sanchez took direct action, working with local service providers to open the Council Chamber for unhoused constituents to warm themselves, rest, and sleep amid a polar vortex that brought in plummeting life-threatening temperatures. These actions were necessary due to inadequate shelter availability, and 31 people sought shelter in the Council Chamber. On Wednesday, the council members continued their efforts, opening the DaVinci Center as a temporary overnight warming center with the Mayor’s approval. Over 70 volunteers from the community have stepped up to provide donations and assist trained staff.
“This week, we saw firsthand what compassion and action can achieve when public servants and community members come together,” said Council President Rachel Miller.
You can watch the full City Council meeting here:
This was the first meeting of the Providence City Council this year. The public turned out to support a political body doing something to save lives in the face of rising homelessness, which increased by nearly 35% in the last year. Fifty-four people died while experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island last year.
Councilmember Roias introduced the resolution, saying:
“I rise tonight not just in support of this resolution but in outrage—outrage at the staggering failure of leadership that has brought us to this moment. Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a housing crisis. It’s a moral collapse. Over the past four years, homelessness in Rhode Island has surged, and while the numbers paint a grim picture—a 35% increase in just one year, far outpacing the national average—what they don’t show is the human suffering behind them. These aren’t just statistics, Madam President. These are people. And this State has abandoned them.
“Rhode Island’s response—or lack thereof—is an outright disgrace. We haven’t just ignored this crisis; we’ve actively let it rot, treating it as if the suffering of the unhoused is someone else’s problem. And now, as freezing temperatures grip the State, what do we offer? Warming centers with nothing but chairs. That’s it—chairs. While people sit upright all night, exhausted, aching, and stripped of their dignity. This isn’t a solution; it’s a cruel mockery of one. People are freezing, suffering, and dying, and the best the State can muster is a seat in a room. It’s beyond shameful—it’s inhumane.
“Madam President, let’s talk about ECHO Village—a project in my Ward, bordering Councilor Graves’ Ward, that could have been a lifeline. A temporary Pallet shelter village proposed four years ago was stalled by bureaucratic inertia and a stunning lack of urgency. Four years of delays while people slept in cars, under bridges, or on the frozen ground. This isn’t just negligence; it’s complicity. Every day, this project remains incomplete, but we are making a choice to let people suffer while we debate logistics.
“The State has the tools to act. Under Rhode Island law, the Governor has the authority to declare a public health emergency. And make no mistake: homelessness is a public health emergency. Unhoused individuals face higher rates of disease, mental health crises, addiction, and death. Living on the streets isn’t just difficult—it’s deadly. And yet, we treat this crisis as if it’s acceptable - as if it’s normal. It’s not. It never will be.
“Madam President, the Governor claims that an emergency declaration ‘does not solve this complex problem.’ But by that logic, should we abandon any tool or measure that isn’t a silver bullet? Emergencies demand bold leadership, not excuses. They demand action, not the safe comfort of bureaucracy. Rhode Islanders without homes don’t need platitudes—they need shelter. They need a system that prioritizes their survival, not one that debates semantics while they freeze.
“Madam President, the Governor argues that such a declaration ‘does not unlock any new funding.’ What it does unlock, however, is a framework to cut through red tape, prioritize and coordinate responses, leverage federal resources, and bring focused attention to an escalating crisis. Emergency declarations exist for precisely this reason: to act decisively when normal processes fail. By dismissing this step, you undermine its very purpose and send a message that homelessness is something we can continue to ignore.
“Madam President, the Governor has said that an emergency declaration would only be ‘solving one problem by creating another’ due to shelter safety standards. I would ask our Governor, does he truly prefer people freeze to death on the streets rather than address capacity issues with creative, temporary solutions? How is neglecting human lives a better alternative? Are sprinkler systems truly a higher moral priority than human survival? Let’s not pretend this is about safety when what’s truly at risk is [the Governor’s] willingness to take responsibility for the lives of our most vulnerable.
“This isn’t just about policy—it’s about people. People like Bill, an unhoused man I met Tuesday night when we opened these chambers to give folks a place to sleep with dignity. He approached me in the middle of these chambers and was stunned to hear he could lie on a bench. He told me how he’d spent the night sitting upright in a warming center, his legs swollen and aching, desperate for even a moment of rest. Think about that: lying down, something most of us take for granted, felt like a rare gift to him. That’s not just wrong—it’s a damning indictment of how far we’ve let basic human decency fall.
“Madam President, this resolution is a line in the sand. It’s a refusal to accept the excuse that ‘we’re doing the best we can’ when the best we can has been a chair in a cold room. Rhode Island can do better. Rhode Island must do better. And if the Governor won’t act, we must force his hand. If Governor McKee is unwilling or unable to declare a state of emergency in the face of this undeniable crisis, he has abdicated his responsibility to the people of this State. And if that is the case, I say this without hesitation, Madam President: Governor McKee should resign immediately. Rhode Island deserves a leader who will confront this crisis with the urgency and compassion it demands—not one who makes excuses while our most vulnerable citizens suffer and die.
“Madam President, this resolution is not a radical demand. It’s a desperate plea for basic human decency. Declaring homelessness a public health emergency is not an act of charity—it’s an acknowledgment of the obvious. We have normalized suffering in this State, and tonight, this Council has the chance to say, ‘Enough.’
“I urge my colleagues to support this resolution—not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the only thing to do. As you cast your vote, let us invoke the memory of Ruth ‘Diamond’ Madsen, who would never tolerate the State’s inaction in the face of suffering. The time for patience has passed; the time for action is now. Diamond always ended her calls with ‘Love you, smooches.’ Let’s honor her legacy tonight by turning that love into decisive action—because it’s what she would have demanded and what Rhode Island desperately needs.”
“This week, we saw firsthand what compassion and action can achieve when public servants and community members come together,” said Council President Rachel Miller. “Homelessness is rising, and not just in Providence. It's a statewide crisis. Rhode Islanders are freezing on our streets, and we cannot address this alone. Governor McKee must step up and declare homelessness a public health emergency to mobilize needed resources. We need immediate investment to increase the availability of life-saving short-term solutions, and we need to come together at every level of government to address decades-long systemic failures. Further inaction will cost lives.”
“This resolution is a call for leadership at the state level because our unhoused neighbors cannot wait any longer,” said Councilor Justin Roias. “Emergency shelter beds are in short supply, and warming centers where people sit in chairs all night are not a solution – they’re a sign of how deeply our system has failed. Governor McKee must declare a public health emergency and take bold, immediate action to ensure no one else is left out in the cold.”
The Council also approved a resolution, presented by Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris, honoring the life and legacy of Ruth “Diamond” Madsen after her recent passing on December 21, 2024. The Council resolution uplifted her memory as a compassionate advocate serving the unhoused. [Editor’s note: Diamond was a friend and will be missed.]
The Council also approved a resolution, introduced by Majority Whip Miguel Sanchez, supporting the newly formed Atlantic Mills Commercial Tenants Union in Olneyville. The resolution celebrates the first commercial tenants’ union in the State and emphasizes its importance in the face of skyrocketing rents, displacement, and gentrification.
Hallelujah ❤️