Homeless advocates praise Rhode Island as model

A homeless man walks down the street in New York City. / Getty Images

(AP) PROVIDENCE, R.I. - While cities across the nation enact laws against panhandling and outdoor sleeping, Rhode Island is being held up as a national model for protecting homeless individuals from discrimination.

Advocates say the state's new homeless bill of rights goes further than any other law in the nation to prevent discrimination against people who lack housing.

The new law prohibits governments, police, healthcare workers, landlords or employers from treating homeless people unfairly because of their housing status. Gov. Lincoln Chafee and advocates for the homeless celebrated the enactment of the new law Wednesday with an event outside the Statehouse.

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"Today, in Rhode Island, hatred, bigotry and discrimination is not accepted," said John Joyce, co-founder of the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project and one of the authors of the new law.

Rhode Island stands in contrast with many cities around the country that are taking steps to criminalize homelessness, according to Heather Johnson, a civil rights attorney with the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. She said her organization has noticed a sharp increase in laws around the country prohibiting panhandling, sleeping outdoors or loitering.

"We've seen a lot of egregious examples lately," she said. "People are having their civil rights violated every day in cities across the country."

The Denver City Council voted last month to prohibit eating or sleeping on public or private property without permission. In Dallas, city officials now prohibit people from giving food to the homeless unless they register with the city first. Officials in Berkeley, Calif., have proposed a ban on sitting on sidewalks.

Johnson called Rhode Island's measure "historic legislation" and said she hopes advocates around the country work to pass similar laws.

Michele St. Pierre became homeless after she was evicted from her apartment. She now stays in shelters, with friends or on the street if she can find nowhere else to go. She said homeless people face discrimination every day. The 46-year-old woman said a police officer recently threatened to arrest her if she didn't leave a bus stop in downtown Providence.

"He said, `I'll give you five minutes to get out of here and then I'm going to arrest you,"' she said. "Where do they want me to go? We don't have enough shelters."

The bill of rights was designed to be enforceable, so that homeless people who believe they've faced discrimination have grounds to sue. But it was also designed to send the message that the homeless have the same rights as anyone else, according to Jim Ryczek of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless.

"Civil rights laws have always been primarily about changing behavior," Ryczek said.

A lawmaker who sponsored the new law said he hopes the rest of the U.S. takes notice of what the nation's smallest state has done.

"Now we're a leader in something," said state Sen. John Tassoni, D-Smithfield. "Hopefully other states will now pick up the slack and move this all the way across the country to California."

[joe1022joe]

Now if a significant number of the nation's homeless were to migrate to Rhode Island, everybody will be happy. The people in Rhode Island will be happier because they can do good for more people. The people in the other states will be happy because they will have gotten rid of the street people.

[Dreadnut]

In Rhode Island, hatred, bigotry and discrimination may not be accepted, but that cold New England weather does alot of the dirty work for them.

[Georjeana]

All American's are entitled to have rights; whether they be homeless or not. In fact, every person in the world deserves to have rights and freedoms. This is something that America tends to take for granted. Homeless people, whether they choose to be there on their own or are forced to be homeless,deserve to be treated decent. Not all of them, are looking for handouts. This is yet another important issue in America; however, this will not be addressed nor will it be,there is no money in it for anyone. No one can capitalize on and make money off the homeless. Unless, of course, someone is trying to create more laws in which to "get rid of them." Services for the homeless are not there either. With each generation, the world is getting uglier, stingier and smaller-minded. Some people look at homelessness like it's something that can just go away. Well, it doesn't. Where do you think they will go?

[BWB2020]

@OnTheRoad01

Baggers always extrapolate to the ridiculous. What maroons they all be.

Of course they cannot defecate, or urinate on your private property, unless your front porch is a public toilet.

There are many laws that cover that.

But what R.I is saying is that the homeless are entitled to the same rights as those with housing, one can no longer be arrested, or unduly harassed by the state simply because they have no home, just like you cannot be arrested or unduly harassed by the state, for the simple reason that you do have one.

BTW, don't worry about someone defiling your front porch, as the rest of your property is already defiled by your baggerism.

[OnTheRoad01]

Oh, great! Now they can take a leak and a dump on my front porch and the government says that is their god given right?????? This is the 'Far' 'Far' left jumping off the deep end!!!

[gnimelf1968]

Yeah, and now they can sue you if you don't let them. Nice.

[retiredgustav]

What would Jesus do?