Environmental advocates are pushing for changes to Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Management Council. We hear from State Sen. Victoria Gu, who is sponsoring legislation to reform the agency. Also, a manager of a Market Basket in New Bedford is facing numerous charges of sexual harassment. The four alleged victims are women facing challenges with their immigration status. And as COVID-19 relief money dries up, Rhode Island is in danger of losing shelter beds for the state’s growing number of homeless residents. Finally, we hear about O&G Studio in Warren, known for their modern approach to making furniture inspired by New England historical craft. That and more on this episode of The Weekly Catch.
Homelessness
Posted inHousing, Local
Rhode Island housing advocates fear funding ‘cliff’ could force cuts to shelter beds
Shelter providers are raising alarm bells about a looming crisis in funding to combat homelessness as the number of unsheltered Rhode Islanders continues to grow. An influx of federal COVID-19 relief dollars has helped the state more than double the number of shelter beds since 2020. But that funding has dried up, and providers worry […]
Posted inNPR
California voters pass Proposition 1 to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis
Counties must spend about two-thirds of the money from a tax enacted for mental health services on housing and programs for homeless people with serious mental illnesses or substance abuse problems.
Posted inEnvironment, Housing, The Weekly Catch
Shekarchi on housing priorities, planting urban forests to fight climate change, and more
House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has introduced a new round of bills to address the housing crisis. The Public’s Radio reporter Ian Donnis asks the speaker about his latest priorities and what it will take to tackle the state’s housing shortage. Also, there’s a homelessness hotline in the Ocean State meant to help people who need housing. But, The Public’s Radio’s Nina Sparling reports, new data shows that the hotline is overwhelmed, with just four people handling hundreds of calls a day. And a new program seeks to help Rhode Island cities and towns plant more trees as a way to mitigate the effects of climate change. We hear from the nonprofit helping to implement the program. Plus, the week in politics; a few things to do this week; and an off-Broadway show coming to Westerly puts the stories of audience members center stage.
Posted inHousing, Local
The system finding shelter for unhoused Rhode Islanders gets more calls than it can handle, report says
The hotline unhoused people can call to access shelter and housing in Rhode Island received roughly 10,000 calls a month last summer. Just four operators answered the bulk of those calls, and the people calling sometimes waited on hold for nearly three hours, according to a little-noticed report delivered to state agencies last fall. “The […]
Posted inNPR
How far can cities go to clear homeless camps? The U.S. Supreme Court will decide
Lower courts have said it’s unconstitutional to punish people for sleeping outside if no shelter is available. Cities say these rulings have paralyzed their efforts to manage growing tent encampments.
Posted inNPR
Charges dropped against Ohio pastor who housed homeless people at his church
Chris Avell, a pastor from Bryan, Ohio, faced charges after turning his church into a quasi-homeless shelter, partly in response to the city’s housing shortage.
Posted inEpisode, The Weekly Catch
How to support homeless communities, adapting to warming waters, and more
Another homeless encampment has been shut down – this time by the city of Providence. We talk with an advocate about the challenges facing unhoused people in the state, and how to support those communities now. Also, an oceanographer tells us how warming waters are affecting our local fish populations, and how we can prepare for changes to come. And infighting over shoreline access and ownership of a lighthouse has led to the resignation of Westerly’s town council president. Plus, the week in politics; a local artist explores the relationship between freedom and ecology; and a few tips on things to do this week.
Posted inArticle, Health
A ‘Dignity Bus’ from Florida arrives in Woonsocket, R.I. to shelter people who are homeless
A coach bus retrofitted with sleeping pods this week rolled into Woonsocket, R.I. The city bought the ‘Dignity Bus’ from a Florida nonprofit for $150,000 to help house people who are homeless. Health Reporter Lynn Arditi takes us inside. This story was produced for the ear. Please click the button above to listen. The transcript […]
Posted inArticle, Metro Desk
The unsheltered homeless population in RI is up by 370% since before the pandemic
Housing costs and availability are pushing more people out onto the streets, says the director of the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness.
