Having read about Mayor Smiley's meeting, why is he doing the heavy lifting? Just because the homeless tend to hang around at Kennedy Plaza doesn't make this his problem. It's a statewide problem. When does McKee step up and address it? I'm going to take a guess and say there's no encampments in Cumberland. Has he been to an encampment? Has he talked to any homeless?
I thought back to his first term. Part of his remark re: homelessness was to (paraphrasing) if you know someone in that condition, take them in. I'll do it when he does it.
Shekarchi is supposed to testify before Congress on housing issues. What will come of that is anyone's guess. There are more committees in gov't than ants at a picnic.
RI has a surplus in the budget. The State does need to be careful (for a change) with how it's spent.
Those pallet shelters are sitting there empty. Why? Who planned it? It doesn't allow for emergency vehicles as they are on top of each other.
Woonsocket (bless them) paid for the Dignity Bus. It's sitting idle. Why?
There are plenty of empty schools and buildings in the State. The State should take them, by eminent domain, if necessary, and retrofit them. They are sitting empty. The longer they remain like that, the more deterioration, and the more money to fix.
There is one thing in common - they are homeless. They need a roof and facilities. These people can't even afford so-called ''affordable housing''.
They have a "street sheet". They already know where a shelter is, where there is a meal, where to get medical, etc. We keep creating our own obstacles. The answer is simple - they need a roof. Get them a roof and go from there.
When will the RI cities & towns unite as one voice to advocate for coordinated support & increased housing units/services? The Governor & Speaker need to take action for the Unhoused community as well as Hasbro toy company. Can’t Pass GO!
Thank you for a verbatim account of the complex, changing homelessness situation. We aren't New York or California, and if the state seriously brought its political will to bear, it could sketch out a solution.
Having read about Mayor Smiley's meeting, why is he doing the heavy lifting? Just because the homeless tend to hang around at Kennedy Plaza doesn't make this his problem. It's a statewide problem. When does McKee step up and address it? I'm going to take a guess and say there's no encampments in Cumberland. Has he been to an encampment? Has he talked to any homeless?
I thought back to his first term. Part of his remark re: homelessness was to (paraphrasing) if you know someone in that condition, take them in. I'll do it when he does it.
Shekarchi is supposed to testify before Congress on housing issues. What will come of that is anyone's guess. There are more committees in gov't than ants at a picnic.
RI has a surplus in the budget. The State does need to be careful (for a change) with how it's spent.
Those pallet shelters are sitting there empty. Why? Who planned it? It doesn't allow for emergency vehicles as they are on top of each other.
Woonsocket (bless them) paid for the Dignity Bus. It's sitting idle. Why?
There are plenty of empty schools and buildings in the State. The State should take them, by eminent domain, if necessary, and retrofit them. They are sitting empty. The longer they remain like that, the more deterioration, and the more money to fix.
There is one thing in common - they are homeless. They need a roof and facilities. These people can't even afford so-called ''affordable housing''.
They have a "street sheet". They already know where a shelter is, where there is a meal, where to get medical, etc. We keep creating our own obstacles. The answer is simple - they need a roof. Get them a roof and go from there.
When will the RI cities & towns unite as one voice to advocate for coordinated support & increased housing units/services? The Governor & Speaker need to take action for the Unhoused community as well as Hasbro toy company. Can’t Pass GO!
Thank you for a verbatim account of the complex, changing homelessness situation. We aren't New York or California, and if the state seriously brought its political will to bear, it could sketch out a solution.
Thanks Steve - appreciate the full dialogue/story being shared.
Surreal that there is barely a HINT in this transcript of why people are homeless. 🤬