Good Samaritan takes matters into his own hands, housing 100 homeless individuals in Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — David O’Connor has seen enough and is now spending his own money to help house the state’s growing homeless population.

Six weeks ago, O’Connor took matters into his own hands.

“After the DaVinci Center closed down the second time in January, I had called and tried to come up with a solution, I started putting people in Airbnb’s and hotels, and some other properties that we’re working with,” O’Connor said. “I’ve worked with over 150 individuals.”

O’Connor said after seeing the great lengths advocates were going to provide a warm place to stay for the state’s homeless community, he simply couldn’t sit by.

“This not the ideal way of doing things but the reality is if I’m able to do these things and see positive change as one person with support from some others, then if we have six months to plan there’s no way this should continue next year,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor has traveled across the country and internationally focusing on community work, and wants to model his work locally after a program he came across in Kansas City, Missouri called ‘Artists Helping the Homeless.’

“That has actually significantly reduced the financial burden on Kansas City by creating a system that does not allow folks to get discharged,” O’Connor said. “If we bring them into housing and stabilize them, not only will they people in a space to heal and be able to get back on their feet, but it will also save tax dollars,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor said it’s not realistic for people to turn their lives around when they’re being kicked out of a shelter at 7 a.m., especially after spending time in person or rehab.

“I can’t even go grocery shopping until 9 o’clock, even if I did get up at 7, so there’s not actually things people can go do to get resumes so it doesn’t make sense we’re forcing people out.”

He’s put his own money into getting people off the streets, as well as money raised through a GoFundMe page.

However, O’Connor said he needs more funding and more resources.

“If an organization wants to step up, I’m just trying to demonstrate that there’s a way to do this and if we have the right resources we can make it even better,” O’Connor said. “I am in no way saying this is a perfect initiative, but we cannot continue to stand by idly and say ‘oh next month next month.'”

Since starting this initiative, O’Connor said he’s consistently housed around 100 people.

Next week, ABC6 News will dive deeper into the cost breakdown to help the homeless community and one person that’s been helping O’Connor along the way.