Providence Police told an unhoused couple to move their tent - it's unclear why

Allan and Doreen are in their 60s and live in a tent on a strip of grass not far from Crossroads. The City and Crossroads don't want them there...

On Friday I received a message from Doreen, 65 years old, who lives in a tent located not far from Crossroads in downtown Providence with her husband Allan, 61. Doreen communicated that she and her husband had been told by officers from the Providence Police Department and staff from Crossroads that they had to pitch their tent somewhere else. I went over to talk with them. I knew Allan from my time covering the Cranston Street Armory’s use as a warming shelter last year. After talking with Allan for a few minutes Doreen joined us.

Allan: This is the first time I've ever been sleeping out. I never slept outside before.

Steve Ahlquist: How long have you been here?

Allan: Since December 15th.

Steve Ahlquist: And has anybody given you a hard time?

Allan: Not until two days ago.

Steve Ahlquist: What happened two days ago?

Allan: Two days ago all these other tents started showing up. I think the police got a complaint and I think it was from Crossroads. They don't have control of what's over here because it's not their property.

Steve Ahlquist: Okay.

Allan: But all of a sudden - like I said - the police never harassed me - nothing since December 15th. Then, all of a sudden those other tents came and then the police had a problem.

Steve Ahlquist: Do you know who's in those other tents?

Allan: I know this one and those people set up a tent and then they just left. They went into a hotel or something.

Steve Ahlquist: So the police came by, a couple of days ago, and they said you have to move?

Allan: Yes. I got to move.

Steve Ahlquist: Did they give you a timeline?

Allan: Yeah, they gave me three different timelines.

Steve Ahlquist: But no piece of paper with a definitive timeline that says you need to move or you'll be arrested?

Allan: That's right. They didn't serve me a no-trespass order. They can't just make me leave and they can't take me to jail the first time. You have to serve me. If I come back or I don't move, that's when you arrest me. I know that much.

Steve Ahlquist: So the police haven't given you anything except this vague warning.

Allan: They say they're giving me breaks because they know I've been out here with no problems.

I cleaned up all this. These other [campers] made the mess.

Steve Ahlquist: That's too bad.

Allan: [I think] Crossroads was the one that called the police because they came out here before the police came. It had to be them. [Crossroads personnel] told us we had to move, but this is not their property. Crossroads came like five times telling me to move, with security.

'We won't call the police,' they said, 'You just got to move.' But this is not their property. How do they tell me to move?

They have too much control - or they think they do. And they lie. They lied. They told us that if we left the Armory and went to the Hartford Avenue couples shelter, they'd get us an apartment. When that tour came through and people gave donations, they pulled us inside and told people we were the first ones [on the list]. A year later we're still here.

Steve Ahlquist: I’m sorry.

Allan: I'd rather have stayed in the Armory. I loved the Armory. I had something to do all day long, right? Clean, clean, clean.

Doreen: He got thrown out of Crossroads on December 15th. He got assaulted twice inside.

Allan: We're not allowed to protect ourselves.

Doreen: He was stabbed.

Allan: This guy threatened me in front of a staff person and the staff person didn't do anything. He kept on threatening me. I had witnesses too, okay? I got done cleaning, came upstairs and he pushed me from behind. The staff was there and they didn't do anything.

He hit me - so I hit him back. The staff wasn't doing anything. If he's threatening me, the staff is supposed to get him out of the building, and they didn't. Why am I getting kicked out? I can't protect myself, but you're not protecting me.

Doreen: You can't hit back. What kind of rule is that?

Allan: You can't hit back. I'm supposed to take the abuse.

Steve Ahlquist: How has it been out here, Doreen?

Doreen: It's terrible.

Steve Ahlquist: What do you need to get out of here?

Doreen: I have money to get an apartment. Just find me one. There are no apartments right now at any price. Or a hotel?

Doreen changed the topic.

Doreen: I asked the police what happened. Are you going to put a no-trespass order on him?

Steve Ahlquist: What did they say?

Doreen: They couldn't give me an answer.

Allan: I asked them, 'Who owns this property?' And they didn't know or they won't tell me.

The police said that the owner's lawyer is willing to press a no-trespass order on me if it comes to that. I'm making him do it. I want to know if he's going to let me clean up the area and stay here. I want to call and make a deal with the lawyer, know what I mean?

Doreen: Crossroads wouldn't let him use the bathroom or a shower for a month and a half. That's wrong.

Steve Ahlquist: All right. Thank you. I'll reach out to Crossroads and Mayor Brett Smiley’s office about this, and try to find out what's up.

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I went into Crossroads and asked to speak to someone in the office. They gave me the number of Laura Calenda, Chief Marketing & Philanthropy Officer at Crossroads. I called, left a message, and received a callback from Michael Raia, who does their communications. Raia shared that Crossroads has tried to work with Allan and Doreen to secure housing for them, and was unaware that any Crossroads security personnel interacted with the couple outside the building. He also said that Crossroads did not contact the police or tell Allan and Doreen that they had to leave the area.

The Mayor's office released the following statement, apparently after checking with Crossroads:

“We connected with Crossroads on this and are going to reshare some information that they noted has been shared with you already. This is RIDOT property, not Crossroads property. Police were responding due to public safety concerns including a fire on site. Crossroads has worked with individuals to provide them with shelter space and no one was served a trespass notice.”