Rally in the RI State House - Advocates Requesting $17.8M in Additional Funds to Fight Homelessness

Rally in the RI State House - Advocates Requesting $17.8M in Additional Funds to Fight Homelessness

 

Advocates fighting homelessness rallied and held a press conference on Tuesday in the rotunda of the Rhode Island State House. The groups are requesting $17.8 million in additional funding over Governor Dan McKee’s proposed budget.

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The groups said the  additional funds are needed  “to prevent budget cuts to homelessness support services and a homelessness catastrophe.”

 

The groups sponsoring the rally were OpenDoors, Amos House, the Coalition to Prevent Homelessness, and HomewardBoundRI.

 

 

“Rhode Island is currently facing a homelessness crisis, and pending budget cuts will result in large cuts to these services, resulting in a homelessness catastrophe. Without further funding allocated, there will be at least a 56% cut to these services,” said the organizers.

 

“Even if the Governor’s proposed amendments pass, there will still be a 44% cut, and over 644 beds are slated to close according to projections from the Department of Housing. Homelessness devastates communities across Rhode Island, including children, veterans, the elderly, and the disabled,” added the groups.