Dee DeQuattro
ddequattro@abc6.com
Homeless advocates say Governor Chafee's budget proposal laid out in Wednesday's State of the State is unacceptable.
The Rhode Island Coalition for The Homeless says the Governor did nothing to address the "crisis" of homelessness in Rhode Island.
The group held a press conference on Dec. 19 calling on the Governor to address homelessness in Rhode Island but after they heard the Governor's State of the State they are angry there were no solutions offered.
Jim Ryczek, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, said the Governor's new budget proposal which does not address homelessness is "Unacceptable. Inconceivable. Unconscionable."
"We truly are at a loss, how can you possibly know what the current homeless situation is and do nothing?" said Ryczek.
The coalition says Rhode Island's shelter can only accommodate for 577Homeless Rhode Islanders however a recent count shows there are 996 Rhode Islander's without a home.
The coalition was hoping the Governor would find a place in his budget to help fund components of Opening Doors Rhode Island, the state initiative to help end homelessness. The plan aims to end chronic homelessness in five years as well as end homelessness among Veterans in the state.
"The Governor is turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to the needs of the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders," added Ryczek." He had the power to do something to alleviate the homeless crisis, to help those Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness, and instead, he chose to do nothing. I don't know how he sleeps at night knowing that while he sleeps in comfort there are hundreds of Rhode Islanders who have no place to call home."
