Ahead of Governor Daniel McKee‘s inauguration, held at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Tuesday at noon, a half dozen volunteers with the Rhode Island Poor People’s Campaign and DARE, including some people currently experiencing homelessness, gathered outside the entrance as a silent indictment of the Governor’s inaction on homelessness, and on the actions of the Governor in clearing the homeless encampment on State House property.

Governor McKee entered through the back of the Convention Center, avoiding the silent protest.

The protest lasted about an hour. Many people had to walk past the protesters in order to attend the Governor’s inauguration, and it was interesting to see flashes of guilt or annoyance play across their faces. Attendees were, after all, entering a space to celebrate the inauguration of a Governor who has lied about his actions on homelessness, called into question the integrity of frontline workers dealing with unhoused individuals, and went to court to evict people engaged in peaceful protest, rather than properly shelter people for the winter.

The Senate President walked by us and said and I quote “Not my problem!” https://t.co/4fnl8TWe74

— Mary Pendergast (@marypen211) January 4, 2023

At one point Convention Center Security Officers told the protesters that they were not allowed to stand in place with their signs but must be constantly moving. Uprise RI informed the Security Officers that this was not the case, and the Security Officers backed down. [Know Your Rights]

During his inaugural address the Governor did not once mention housing or homelessness. Instead he outlined three immediate goals as part of his RI 2030 plan:

“First: raising incomes for Rhode Islanders in all 39 cities and towns. And when I say raising incomes, I mean investing in all of us and ensuring Rhode Islanders have the skills to get good-paying jobs.

“Second: raising education outcomes for our children to reach Massachusetts levels by 2030. We must be all-in on improving education because that is the key to the long-term economic future of our state.

“And finally: creating a healthier Rhode Island where we reduce chronic illness and improve health outcomes.“

You can watch governor McKee’s inaugural address here.

Uprise RI has appealed a $930 price tag attached to APRA requests regarding the clearing of the State House Homeless protest. We are awaiting action on the part of the Rhode Island Attorney General.

In the meantime, it is estimated that as many as 500 Rhode Islanders, including families with children, are sleeping outside and in places unfit for human habitation.

The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness has called on the Governor and Housing Secretary Josh Saal to:

• Deploy $15 million dollars worth of resources to bring 380 shelter beds online and ensure adequate Housing Problem Solving resources;
• Declare Homelessness in Rhode Island as a State of Emergency (as other communities have)
• Reenact the Interagency Council on Homelessness, tasked with developing a State Plan to Address Homelessness.

Advocates with the Rhode Island Poor People’s Campaign have four demands for Governor McKee and Secretary Saal:

• Immediately reopen hotel rooms to provide 400 emergency beds, as this is the only viable short-term means of getting a roof over the heads of those who are currently living outside.
• Guarantee that [the McKee administration] will not evict residents of tent encampments.
• Immediately find sites and begin assembly of rapidly deployable emergency shelters. These can provide viable shelter while permanent supportive housing and deeply subsidized housing units are under construction.
• Accelerate the process of generating 500 new permanent supportive and deeply subsidized housing units for those who will be sheltered in temporary emergency beds.

The Governor has failed to act on any of these ideas.