NEWS

Reilly objects to proposal for pallet housing

Posted 10/11/22

Ward 6 Councilman Matthew Reilly called upon Governor Daniel McKee Monday to drop his proposal to build villages of pallet housing for the homeless at Cranston’s Pastore Complex. These units …

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NEWS

Reilly objects to proposal for pallet housing

Posted

Ward 6 Councilman Matthew Reilly called upon Governor Daniel McKee Monday to drop his proposal to build villages of pallet housing for the homeless at Cranston’s Pastore Complex. These units provide individuals with a folding bed, shelving, storage space, heating, air conditioning, a fire extinguisher and power outlets.

“While I acknowledge and support efforts to provide a continuum of social services to the homeless population of our state, the City of Cranston, and Ward 6 specifically, the city can longer be the go-to location to solve all of the State’s issues,” announced Reilly in a Monday press release. “We already host the State’s largest men’s shelter as well as more state facilities than any other city, with the exception of Providence. We simply can no longer bear any more of the State’s burden logistically, financially or socially.”

Reilly represents the neighborhoods which surround the Pastore Government Complex – including Garden City, Garden Hills, Glen Hills, Oak Hill, Mayfield and Dean Estates. He added that there are other municipalities in Rhode Island that are equally equipped to assist the State with this program.

“We will no longer sit quietly while the State intensifies its use of the Pastore Center to the detriment of the residents of Ward 6, while at the same time drastically reducing the much-needed funding to the City of Cranston,” Reilly said.

Reilly sent a letter to McKee’s office Monday after hearing from Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins that the governor’s administration was considering constructing pallet houses at the Pastore Center as part of the state’s plan to address homelessness and housing challenges in Rhode Island.

He stated that the addition of the proposed homeless village would significantly increase the amount of registered sex offenders and homeless to an area that is already dangerously saturated. Reilly cited a recent incident at the Cranston Public Library where a Harrington Hall resident was arrested at the library where he was found masturbating at a public computer.

“To increase this population in this area inequitably endangers my constituents, while communities such as Cumberland, for example, remain safe and sound,” Reilly wrote to McKee.

Reilly added that the State of Rhode Island utilizes over 364 acres of prime real estate in Cranston and “pays pennies on the dollar compared to what the City would receive if this land was thoughtfully developed.”

Chief of Staff Anthony Moretti said last week the State solicited input from the administration as to how the city would react if pallet housing was administered from the Pastore Complex. Moretti said the administration had deep concern given the current burden the facility has placed on city resources along with the health and safety of the nearby residents who are affected. He said Hopkins is putting the residents first by conceptually objecting to the proposal in light of the lack of adequate controls regarding the residents housed at Harrington Hall. He added that police and fire have responded to hundreds of calls to Harrington Hall and the neighboring communities.

“Cranston has to utilize additional extensive public safety resources of fire and police needed to respond to the various facilities and buildings at the Pastore Center. This unfair obligation, with minimal state financial assistance, is a drain on our budget and takes critical public safety personnel away from servicing the rest of our city’s needs,” Reilly said.

Reilly urged neighbors to call the Office of the Governor and voice their concerns for this proposal.

pallets, housing

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