Surrounded by 88 bunk beds at Harrington Hall, the state’s
largest congregate shelter, the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless (RICH)
and other affordable housing and homeless prevention advocates released the
most recent numbers of homelessness in the state and called upon Governor
Chafee to act immediately to address a significant shortage of shelter beds and
funds to operate shelters for the upcoming winter season. Additionally, they
called upon the Governor to address the long-term solutions by including
adequate funding in his upcoming budget for Opening Doors Rhode Island,
the state’s plan to end homelessness.
A recent Winter Shelter Assessment Point in Time Count, taken on Wednesday, December 12th, reveals that there were 996 Rhode Islanders homeless on that day. This is 146 more Rhode Islanders experiencing homeless than last year’s September 2011 count of 850 found. The state’s shelter bed capacity is 577, which leaves the system at a deficit of 419 beds.
This year’s count also showed:
·
728 Rhode Islanders in
shelter beds
·
112 Rhode Islanders on
mats in seasonal shelters
·
156 Rhode Islanders
living outside
Dr. Eric Hirsch, Professor at Providence College and Chair of
the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Committee, believes the
shortfall number of 419 actually underestimates the problem as the Point in
Time Count was an informal and incomplete count unable to capture all those who
are unsheltered around the state. Hirsch also pointed out that the count does
not include those who are couch surfing or living in doubled up situations.
“These increases in homelessness are being driven by economic
forces: unemployment, foreclosures and evictions,” stated Hirsch. “It is
morally wrong to allow people to die on our streets when it would cost very little
to give them a warm, clean bed to sleep in. We need to provide emergency
shelter now, but over the long run it will be most cost effective to provide
permanent housing for those families and individuals who cannot access what is
a very expensive rental housing market.”
With the cold weather approaching, a sluggish economy yet to
recover and a continued high rate of unemployment and foreclosures in Rhode
Island, advocates fear that the emergency shelter system is woefully inadequate
to meet the continued growing need. The United Way’s 211 Helpline found in
November a 38% increase of callers seeking housing and a 44% increase in those
seeking assistance with a pending foreclosure situation.
Advocates called on the Governor to show his commitment to ending
homelessness in Rhode Island by including in his upcoming budget funding to
continue implementing Opening Doors Rhode Island, the
state’s plan to end homelessness. Opening Doors Rhode
Island outlines a plan that significantly transforms the
provision of services to Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness. Consistent
with the new federal plan to end homelessness, the plan seeks to sharply
decrease the numbers of people experiencing homelessness and the length of time
people spend homeless.
The plan proposes to finish the job of ending chronic
homelessness in five years and to prevent and end all homelessness among
Veterans in the state in the same time period. It also outlines
strategies to substantially decrease the numbers of homeless families and young
people and to end this homelessness in ten years.
Finally, the plan will reduce
all other homelessness in the state and establish the framework for system
transformation that will reduce the numbers of people who experience
homelessness for the first time.
The state’s Emergency Winter Shelter Task Force has estimated
that there still exists a current funding gap for this year’s emergency winter
shelters. Once again, non-profits, philanthropic, business, faith and
individual donors have responded to the call for help and donated monies to
ensure that no Rhode Islander is forced to sleep outside this winter. Advocates
contend that the system cannot continue to count on the generosity of the
community and that the state of Rhode Island must stand up as a partner on the
financial side too.
Reverend Don Anderson, Executive Director of the RI State
Council of Churches summed up the moral outrage of those at the press
conference when he stated, “The Hebrew prophet, Habakkuk, addresses the issue
of extended neglect in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable among
us. He says that the time will come when “the very stones will cry” on
their behalf. The time has come for the stones to cry out.” The Reverend
then called upon Rhode Islanders to call up their legislators and the Governor
and demand that these crises end and that Rhode Island works to end
homelessness.