Lawmakers Urge McKee: Declare Homeless Emergency

STATE HOUSE — Forty-four legislators called on Gov. Dan McKee to declare a public health homeless emergency in a letter released today, including Warwick’s David Bennett (D-Dist. 20), and Coventry’s Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist. 27), Michael W. Chippendale (R-Dist. 40) and Sherry Roberts (R-Dist. 29).

In the letter, legislators urged McKee to use the authority they have been empowering him with to solve the issue since 2021, as reported homelessness outstrips state and volunteer efforts to aid homeless Rhode Islanders. The letter points out the urgency of the situation, pointing to 54 people who have died due to living outside within the last year, and others who lost their lives because of diseases or illnesses developed as a result of their being homeless.

“In 2021, we approved the creation of a Department of Housing, with its Secretary reporting to you. In 2023, we allocated 32 additional Full Time Employees for FY24 to ensure there was capacity to conduct this desperately needed work. As a part-time legislature, we have always relied on the Executive Branch, our Governor, to execute the plans we collaboratively create while in session. With that expectation unmet, and winter fully underway, the problem remains urgent and we implore your administration to use the power vested in your office to help resolve it immediately.”

During those years, according to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness news releasse,  shared by reporter Steve Ahlquist on his substack,  there was a 99.5 percent increase in calls seeking assistance through the Coordinated Entry System (CES), a nationwide system providing equitable access to housing and support to  people facing a housing crisis. There were 103,911 calls in 2024, driven by rising homelessness and economic hardships.

“Many of the individuals who call our CES call center are in crisis, and long wait times can have serious consequences,” said Kimberly Simmons, Executive Director at the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, the organization that manages CES. “We need more low-barrier shelter beds, more winter warming centers, and more staff to ensure that people experiencing homelessness can quickly connect to the services they need. Without sufficient funding, we simply cannot keep up with the increasing demand.”

Department of Housing turnover, backlogs hamper homeless emergency response

According to the letter, there has been significant turnover in the Department of Housing leadership with more than three different leaders in just as many years as the department has existed. Also, service providers and community organizations are reporting excessive delays in funding, resulting in months of nonpayment for services in excess of $1 million, while more than 80 service providers operating without contracts since October 2024.

“This is the second time in less than a year that these same service providers and community organizations needed to alert the Department of Housing to issues related to nonpayment. These administrative backlogs have severely impacted the response to one of the most pressing and urgent issues impacting al Rhode Islanders: housing. When the General Assembly granted millions of dollars to the Executive Branch to oversee this crisis, it was with full confidence that staffing and resources would be allocated with direction and oversight from your office.

Rhode Island, according to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, faces both a housing crisis and a homelessness crisis, as do many states in the U.S. Rates of homelessness in the state increased by 34.9 percent last year and the CES is at capacity. There are 674 people currently waiting for permanent shelter in Rhode Island.

The legislators said in their letter the crisis has hit hard working families and dedicated public servants. The largest population of
people in the state experiencing homelessness is the working poor. In December 2024, Rhode Island was the second highest, at 48 percent, of all states with individuals experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. Rhode Island ranked third in the nation for the largest change in veterans experiencing homelessness per capita, according to the same report.

“By declaring a state of emergency, you can bypass the rules and regulations that prevent swift action, like opening up additional overnight shelters and dispersing funds to community organizations that serve our homeless neighbors all year long. The dedicated service providers and community organizations doing the work need to be reimbursed and additional funding allocated to continue filling the gaps left by our patchwork system of support.

Governor McKee, this is an urgent and dire situation. You must act swiftly and guarantee a solutions driven approach to this crisis by operating a fuly functioning Department of Housing. We need a policy plan to address the housing crisis that impacts the lives of those who entrusted you to the office,” the legislators urged the Governor in their plea for a declaration of a homeless emergency.

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