Our Legislative Advocacy

The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless works each year to develop a Legislative Platform of House and Senate legislation to promote our mission and goals.

We also work with our Congressional Delegation on issue of National Importance such as reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Act, and stimulus fund planning and dispersal.

In an effort to align our work with the needs and priorities of our members and constituents, we recently collected and analyzed over 300 surveys (full results here). The survey identified three key issues for RICH to work on. These are:

• Shelter overcrowding.
• The need for more permanent supportive housing.
• Creating a permanent funding source for affordable housing.

In response to these surveys, our legislative priorities for 2010 are to:

• Provide adequate shelter and services for homeless individuals and families in our state.
• Protect tenants, homeowners and communities adversely affected by foreclosures.
• Restore funding to the Neighborhood Opportunities Program.
• Identify permanent funding sources for the production of permanent supportive and affordable housing.