More fake reasons for fighting affordable housing
Jim Hummel, an independent journalist who lives in Barrington, took a very different tack than me on the issue of affordable housing in Rhode Island’s favorite suburban utopia. Last fall, he reported Barrington actually has a lot of housing that meets the state’s definition of affordable housing, but that not much of it fits what [...]
National report on public housing has a local link
I first encountered this public housing issue over a decade ago while living in Rhode Island, first in prison, then as a member of DARE. When I began inquiring about the precise rules regarding criminal convictions being a barrier to entry, and a cause for eviction, I got only a few vague answers. I even [...]
Jack Reed takes it to the banks and their regulators
There’s been a surprising dearth of coverage in the local press of Jack Reed’s exemplary work last week, as he stuck it to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) alongside Sherrod Brown and Elizabeth Warren. Here’s a full transcript. Here’s the rub, from Dave Dayen at Salon: The vast majority of borrowers – [...]
Senate President Supports Rental Vouchers
Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed said she supports legislation that would allocate $3.25 million for rental vouchers and shelter costs to help address Rhode Island’s increasing homeless population. But she said the spending proposal would likely be part of budget negotiations rather than stand alone legislation. She offered her support after a group of munchkins [...]
Local Homeless Left Out Of Economic Recovery
While the real estate and stock markets are ticking up and unemployment is ticking down, there’s one group of Rhode Islanders who are being passed over by the alleged economic recovery: the homeless. The homeless population in Rhode Island has increased by more than 10 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to Dr. Eric Hirsch, [...]
Plea to Policymakers: Drive Down the Cost of Living
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has released its Out of Reach 2013 report, detailing the state of housing affordability in the United States. As is to be expected, the report finds the state of housing affordability to be abysmal. To afford a two bedroom apartment at fair market rent (FMR) in the United [...]
Don’t Be Afraid Of Diversity, Barrington
Dear affordable housing-hating Barrington, This is some friendly advice for you from your cross-Bay rival for best public education community in the state, East Greenwich. You might have higher NECAP scores but we have something you don’t: diversity. A lot of people know us as a snobby suburb where affluent executives sleep and send their [...]
John Joyce and Cade Tompkins’ Chair
Today is John Joyce’s memorial service. He died way too young at age 50 and was a bona fide friend and hero to the people on the streets. His job, his mission in life, was to connect with the homeless people of Providence. Just to connect with them. After food, water and warmth connection is [...]
Remembering John Joyce
If a place like Heaven exists, I would liked to have been there when John Joyce checked in the other day. “So you overcame inner demons and homelessness to become a 24-hour-a-day advocate and activist for the most downtrodden people in all of society,” St. Peter would have noted approvingly while perusing Joyce’s impressive karmic [...]
Coalition on John Joyce: ‘Incomparable Advocate’
There will be a memorial for John Joyce on Thursday, February 21 “with a memorial with visitation beginning at 9 am at Beneficent Congregational Church, 300 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI. The memorial service will be at 11 am, in the church, with a reception and luncheon to follow,” according to the Rhode Island Coalition for [...]
Rest In Peace, John Joyce. Be Safe, Brother
John Joyce, a tireless activist for and loyal friend to the homeless community in Rhode Island, passed away last night. He was 50 years old. “We are all better for knowing him,” said Jim Ryczek, his good friend and colleague at the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless. He passed away at home last night [...]
Protest Cuts to Rental Assistance Program Today
Goveror Chafee gets more guff today because of his reluctance to help the most struggling Rhode Islanders as housing advocates rally at the State House today, 3pm, to call for more funding to a rental assistance program. “Because of State cuts to Rhode Island Housing Authority, tenants in seven apartment complexes in Providence, Central Falls [...]
Why We Honor Our Dead With A Homeless Memorial
It dropped down to single digit temperatures this week; conditions perilous for anyone caught on the street. Some will be fortunate enough to spend the nights in their cars. Others will find shelter at a system that is already short 156 beds. But many will sleep outside; beneath bridges, in abandoned lots, behind dumpsters, in [...]
A Video Game That Rhode Island Can Be Proud Of
On Monday, November 19th Sojourner House, a local domestic violence agency, will be releasing The Real Robots of Robot High, a video game aimed at teaching middle school students about healthy relationships. Joining Sojourner House supporters and students from Highlander Charter School will be Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. The video game [...]
Voters Reject Libertarian Lie of Self-Made Millionaire
The 2012 elections have been seen by many as a bold refutation on the part of voters to extreme religious conservatism: marriage equality made big strides in four states, women’s rights took a small step forward as the Senate is now comprised of 20% women and reproductive rights were supported as voters saw fit to [...]
Congrats to RI, John Joyce for Homeless Bill of Rights
Rhode Island should indeed be proud as it is the only state in the nation to pass a law that specifically protects the rights of the homeless. The newly-enacted Homeless Bill of Rights protects those without homes by ensuring they can vote, that they can rent an apartment, that they can get a job and [...]
Homeless Bill of Rights Passes State Senate
Taking a “historic step” forward according to advocates, the Rhode Island Senate voted 33-2 to pass Senate Bill 2052, a.k.a. the Homeless Bill of Rights. The law provides homeless people with protections against discrimination based on their housing status, preventing them from being told to move along if they enter libraries or sit on park [...]
Senate Takes Historic Vote On Homeless Rights
The state Senate today has an opportunity to move Rhode Island one step closer to being the first state in the country to adopt a a homeless bill of rights, said Karen Jeffreys, of the Coalition for the Homeless, as members vote today on a measure that would guarantee Rhode Island’s most vulnerable residents equal [...]
Lawmakers Briefed on Plan to End Homelessness
As marchers gathered for their May Day march on the west side of Providence to protest unfair economic conditions, a crowd of over thirty people, nine of whom were sitting legislators, listened to a briefing in the Rhode Island Senate lounge on the state’s Plan to End Homelessness, known as Opening Doors Rhode Island. The [...]
Low Income, Homelessness Issues at State House Today
The powerful House Finance Committee will hear a bill today that would restore the $12 million cut from the Neighborhood Opportunities Program last legislative session. According to Housing WorksRI’s website, the NOP program is “a unique, state-funded program designed to provide homes for low-wage working families and individuals with disabilities. The program provides funds to [...]
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