Latest news with #RhodeIslandDepartmentofHousing
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shelter beds at risk in R.I. if state doesn't fill housing budget gap, advocates warn
Mia Negron, 2, sits atop her father Luis' shoulders at a State House rally on May 27, 2025. The family became unhoused when Mia was an infant in 2023. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) Luis Negron stood in the State House rotunda Tuesday afternoon among a crowd of 250 with his 2-year-old daughter Mia atop his shoulders holding a sign that said 'shelter was my lifeline.' Negron said that two years ago he, his partner, and then 3-month old daughter were evicted from their apartment and had to sleep in their car. 'We didn't know what to do,' he said in an interview inside the State House. They eventually connected with the Providence-based social service organization Amos House which got them into a shelter. Now his family lives in permanent supportive housing. Advocates fear Rhode Island's unhoused community could lose such critical lifelines if lawmakers fail to address a $17.8 million budget shortfall for homelessness services as they finalize the fiscal 2026 budget. Which is why Negron and his family were at the State House Tuesday afternoon, joining others in urging state leaders to fill that gap. 'Unfortunately, there's not enough money for everything that has to happen in our state,' Eileen Hayes, CEO of the Providence social service organization Amos House, told the crowd. 'But people whose lives are at risk should not be the ones that have to forfeit their needs.' Federal pandemic money has allowed Rhode Island to more than double its number of shelter beds since 2020, but with that funding now gone, advocates fear as many as 926 beds could be lost statewide. 'We need shelter beds to stay open while we build affordable housing for all,' Hayes said. According to the state, advocates' projections rely on outdated numbers. Rhode Island Department of Housing spokesperson Emily Marshall pointed to a request for proposals for homeless service providers issued by the state on May 7 which 'anticipates provider savings' which would reduce the number of beds that may have to come offline should the state not plug the department's budget. Marshall did not immediately provide an estimate on how many shelter beds the state would have to reduce. 'We remain committed to maintaining emergency shelter access within available funding while strategically investing in long-term solutions like affordable and permanent supportive housing,' Marshall said in an email Tuesday. The state's shelter dashboard notes a total of 1,514 beds available across the entire state, with 181 unused as of May 23. Advocates are urging state lawmakers to consider new taxes to help cover provider costs, including a tax on second homes, a higher real estate conveyance tax on property sales over $800,000, and increased income contributions from the state's highest earners. They are also calling on the General Assembly to approve Gov. Dan McKee's budget proposal to fund shelter beds by extending the state's 5% hotel tax to include short-term rental homes. McKee's recommended fiscal year 2026 budget calls on the state to eliminate the exemption whole-home short-term rentals have from the state's 5% hotel tax starting Jan. 1, 2026. The governor projects an annual revenue of roughly $5 million. Advocates supported a similar proposal McKee introduced as a budget amendment in 2024, but the General Assembly ultimately replaced it with its own $46 million plan which relied on remaining pandemic relief aid. The governor's plan also faced competition from municipalities that have historically received a quarter of the revenue from the state's hotel tax. Municipal interests are again vying for that expanded share of the fiscal pie. Legislation introduced by Sen. Matthew LaMountain, a Warwick Democrat, would maintain that existing split to towns, if McKee's proposal is approved. Rep. Lauren Carson, a Newport Democrat who chairs a legislative panel studying short-term rentals, has again proposed returning all of the revenue generated by a hotel tax on short-term rental houses exclusively for municipal infrastructure. 'If we don't have infrastructure and the stormwater not running and toilets not working, then the tourists ain't coming,' she said in an interview. And the potential tax revenue could always go toward funding homeless services, Carson said, it would just be up to the municipalities rather than the state. 'Newport is perfectly qualified to make decisions on homeless shelters and how to assist homeless people,' she said. Keeping housing decisions local is a preference of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, whose executive director said a cookie-cutter approach will not work with each municipality. 'Not one of my 39 communities are all the same, they're all unique,' Randy Rossi, executive director of the league, said in an interview. 'What Burrillville might need, Westerly may need something completely different.' Kimberly Simmons, executive director for the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, said she would prefer any potential revenue from the tax expansion end up in state coffers. 'The state has the ability to get it out evenly,' Simmons said in an interview. Carson's bill was heard before the House Committee on Finance on May 13 where it was held for further study, as is standard procedure for an initial vetting by a legislative panel. Companion legislation sponsored by Sen. Victoria Gu, a Westerly Democrat, was held by the Senate Committee on Finance on March 4. House Speaker K. Joseph Sheakrchi has not taken any official stance, but said he will continue to prioritize addressing homelessness in the final budget. 'In recent years, the General Assembly has gone above and beyond the Governor's budget requests for homeless assistance,' he said in a statement. 'Despite an extremely challenging budget year, homelessness will remain a priority of the legislature.' At least 2,442 unhoused people across Rhode Island were counted when volunteers conducted an annual survey in late January 2024 — up 35% from the 2023 count. The coalition conducted the annual Point-In-Time count for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this year on Jan. 28, but results aren't expected to be released until some time in the summer. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shelter beds at risk in R.I. if state doesn't fill housing budget gap, advocates warn
Mia Negron, 2, sits atop her father Luis' shoulders at a State House rally on May 27, 2025. The family became unhoused when Mia was an infant in 2023. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) Luis Negron stood in the State House rotunda Tuesday afternoon among a crowd of 250 with his 2-year-old daughter Mia atop his shoulders holding a sign that said 'shelter was my lifeline.' Negron said that two years ago he, his partner, and then 3-month old daughter were evicted from their apartment and had to sleep in their car. 'We didn't know what to do,' he said in an interview inside the State House. They eventually connected with the Providence-based social service organization Amos House which got them into a shelter. Now his family lives in permanent supportive housing. Advocates fear Rhode Island's unhoused community could lose such critical lifelines if lawmakers fail to address a $17.8 million budget shortfall for homelessness services as they finalize the fiscal 2026 budget. Which is why Negron and his family were at the State House Tuesday afternoon, joining others in urging state leaders to fill that gap. 'Unfortunately, there's not enough money for everything that has to happen in our state,' Eileen Hayes, CEO of the Providence social service organization Amos House, told the crowd. 'But people whose lives are at risk should not be the ones that have to forfeit their needs.' Federal pandemic money has allowed Rhode Island to more than double its number of shelter beds since 2020, but with that funding now gone, advocates fear as many as 926 beds could be lost statewide. 'We need shelter beds to stay open while we build affordable housing for all,' Hayes said. According to the state, advocates' projections rely on outdated numbers. Rhode Island Department of Housing spokesperson Emily Marshall pointed to a request for proposals for homeless service providers issued by the state on May 7 which 'anticipates provider savings' which would reduce the number of beds that may have to come offline should the state not plug the department's budget. Marshall did not immediately provide an estimate on how many shelter beds the state would have to reduce. 'We remain committed to maintaining emergency shelter access within available funding while strategically investing in long-term solutions like affordable and permanent supportive housing,' Marshall said in an email Tuesday. The state's shelter dashboard notes a total of 1,514 beds available across the entire state, with 181 unused as of May 23. Advocates are urging state lawmakers to consider new taxes to help cover provider costs, including a tax on second homes, a higher real estate conveyance tax on property sales over $800,000, and increased income contributions from the state's highest earners. They are also calling on the General Assembly to approve Gov. Dan McKee's budget proposal to fund shelter beds by extending the state's 5% hotel tax to include short-term rental homes. McKee's recommended fiscal year 2026 budget calls on the state to eliminate the exemption whole-home short-term rentals have from the state's 5% hotel tax starting Jan. 1, 2026. The governor projects an annual revenue of roughly $5 million. Advocates supported a similar proposal McKee introduced as a budget amendment in 2024, but the General Assembly ultimately replaced it with its own $46 million plan which relied on remaining pandemic relief aid. The governor's plan also faced competition from municipalities that have historically received a quarter of the revenue from the state's hotel tax. Municipal interests are again vying for that expanded share of the fiscal pie. Legislation introduced by Sen. Matthew LaMountain, a Warwick Democrat, would maintain that existing split to towns, if McKee's proposal is approved. Rep. Lauren Carson, a Newport Democrat who chairs a legislative panel studying short-term rentals, has again proposed returning all of the revenue generated by a hotel tax on short-term rental houses exclusively for municipal infrastructure. 'If we don't have infrastructure and the stormwater not running and toilets not working, then the tourists ain't coming,' she said in an interview. And the potential tax revenue could always go toward funding homeless services, Carson said, it would just be up to the municipalities rather than the state. 'Newport is perfectly qualified to make decisions on homeless shelters and how to assist homeless people,' she said. Keeping housing decisions local is a preference of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, whose executive director said a cookie-cutter approach will not work with each municipality. 'Not one of my 39 communities are all the same, they're all unique,' Randy Rossi, executive director of the league, said in an interview. 'What Burrillville might need, Westerly may need something completely different.' Kimberly Simmons, executive director for the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, said she would prefer any potential revenue from the tax expansion end up in state coffers. 'The state has the ability to get it out evenly,' Simmons said in an interview. Carson's bill was heard before the House Committee on Finance on May 13 where it was held for further study, as is standard procedure for an initial vetting by a legislative panel. Companion legislation sponsored by Sen. Victoria Gu, a Westerly Democrat, was held by the Senate Committee on Finance on March 4. House Speaker K. Joseph Sheakrchi has not taken any official stance, but said he will continue to prioritize addressing homelessness in the final budget. 'In recent years, the General Assembly has gone above and beyond the Governor's budget requests for homeless assistance,' he said in a statement. 'Despite an extremely challenging budget year, homelessness will remain a priority of the legislature.' At least 2,442 unhoused people across Rhode Island were counted when volunteers conducted an annual survey in late January 2024 — up 35% from the 2023 count. The coalition conducted the annual Point-In-Time count for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this year on Jan. 28, but results aren't expected to be released until some time in the summer. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homelessness advocates push for $17.8M boost to prevent RI shelter cuts
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Homeless communities and advocates are calling on state leaders to provide more funding for support services amid what they are describing as a 'homelessness catastrophe.' Several organizations, elected officials and unhoused individuals are set to rally outside the state house Tuesday afternoon, pleading for an additional $17.8 million. According to OpenDoors co-Executive Director Nick Horton, Gov. Dan McKee's initial 2026 budget cuts the Rhode Island Department of Housing's funding by at least 56%, which could result in a potential loss of 1,000 shelter beds this fall. RELATED: New dashboard shows availability of shelter beds in RI Even if Gov. Dan McKee's proposed amendments to the Real Estate Conveyance tax and Short Term Rental tax are approved, adding $4.3 million to the Housing Department's funding, Horton said there will still be a 44% cut, and nearly 650 beds are expected to close. Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi provided the following statement to 12 News: 'I will continue to prioritize addressing homelessness in the budget. In recent years, the General Assembly has gone above and beyond the Governor's budget requests for homeless assistance. Despite an extremely challenging budget year, homelessness will remain a priority of the legislature.' TARGET 12: Rhode Island's Housing Crisis Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
RI Housing secretary: McKee's 2030 goal is ‘doable'
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Housing is working hard to achieve Gov. Dan McKee's goal of permitting 15,000 new homes across the state by 2030. McKee's plan was detailed in a nearly 80-page report dubbed 'Housing 2030: Building Rhode Island's Future' unveiled late last month. RELATED: McKee plan calls for 15K new housing permits by 2030; goal set for each city, town R.I. Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard told 12 News she's 'laser focused' on building more housing statewide. Goddard said the fact that the state's housing crisis has hit the middle class is 'a very unfortunate silver lining.' 'More people are now on board for addressing the housing challenge,' Goddard explained. TARGET 12: Could RI create 15,000 new housing units by 2030? 12 News asked Goddard whether McKee's goal is realistic. 'It's a push,' she said. 'But given what we've done the last couple of years, I think it's doable.' Right now, Goddard said the biggest hurdle is the state's municipal zoning laws, which often require a minimum lot size to build on. Goddard said those laws can make it difficult for projects to get off the ground, which is why the state is working with each city and town on their individual goals. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McKee to announce plan to add more housing in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Gov. Dan McKee is set to unveil his long-term plan to add more housing in Rhode Island on Wednesday. The state has dealt with a housing crisis for years, and 'Housing 2030' will be the first statewide housing plan since 2006. According to McKee's office, the draft plan lays out actionable strategies to increase production of affordable, accessible, and diverse housing options in the state. The plan puts out a long-term vision to address the state's housing challenges and meet the needs of communities. Earlier this year, the Rhode Island Department of Housing announced its goal to create 15,000 new housing units by 2030. Could RI create 15,000 new housing units by 2030? Data from the Rhode Island Association of Realtors showed a drop in home sales of 4% from March 2024 to 2025. The number of homes on the market rose 29.2% over the year, but the supply of homes remains low, therefore keeping prices high. The draft plan will be announced at 1:30 p.m. at the State House. Input from the community is encouraged and will play a role in shaping the final plan and the state's housing strategy moving forward. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
