PROVIDENCE, R.I. ( WPRI ) — On Wednesday, Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness and advocates gathered outside the State House to demand urgent action from state leaders.
Dozens voiced frustration over the state’s response to the homelessness crisis, emphasizing “unacceptable delays” in opening the 45 new pallet shelters constructed in April . These units , known as “ECHO Village,” remain vacant due to regulatory holdups.
Protesters chanted, “McKee, McKee, emergency,” urging Gov. Dan McKee to declare a state of emergency. Signs with messages like “Everybody’s got a right to live,” “McKee. Remember your promise. Do your job,” and “Where will we go? Where will we sleep tonight?” pleaded for dignified shelter.
Terri Wright, an organizer with Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE), argued that homelessness constitutes a state of emergency, leaving people “stripped of everyday essentials.”
“Communities sit divided, and the unsheltered are left outside and voiceless,” Wright said.