Woonsocket council meets state delegation on housing, homelessness and education funding

The Woonsocket City Council and the city administration met with members of the Woonsocket state delegation on Jan. 27 to discuss housing shortages, homelessness, the state funding formula for public schools, and other state‑level supports.

Council Vice President Sierra opened by emphasizing the link between affordable housing and homelessness and cited a HousingWorks 2024 fact book finding that 35 Rhode Island communities are below the state target. "We all recognize the housing crisis and the need for more affordable housing," Sierra said.

Council members urged the delegation to pursue legislation that would direct resources or incentives toward underperforming communities. The council discussed several possible approaches raised in the meeting: (a) tying additional state support to municipal affordable‑housing performance, (b) exempting communities that already exceed the state target from certain state requirements, and (c) reshuffling existing state aid formulas to favor distressed communities.

Senator Thompson and Representative Breen responded that the ideas have been discussed at the General Assembly but are politically difficult. Rep. Breen said introducing a bill that would penalize underperforming towns "to make a point" could give the city a public platform and argued the council could use that leverage to press for change. Senator Thompson cautioned that gaining majority support in the General Assembly is challenging and called for coalition building with other legislators.

Delegates and councilors also discussed education funding. Senator Murray (committee chair) summarized prior work on the funding formula and the bills that resulted from a study commission; she said bills to tie funding to special education cost drivers, multilingual learner (MLL) counts and mental‑health needs have been proposed previously and will be part of this session's conversation.

On homelessness and emergency sheltering, delegates and city staff said the state provided substantial funding last year but distribution and contracting delays slowed local delivery. Representative Phillips and others urged continued state‑municipal coordination so funds reach shelters and service providers more quickly.

Council members raised additional state policy items: domestic‑violence services (VOCA funding), baby‑bonds pilot eligibility, and the need for detox/behavioral‑health capacity. Senator Murray said the baby‑bonds pilot is in the state budget and will benefit families in the Rhode Island Works program; she said eligibility is program‑based rather than tied to city geography. Delegates said they would continue to pursue targeted legislation and to meet with councilors to shape specific proposals.

Ending: Legislators offered to draft or carry proposals where feasible and encouraged the council to coordinate testimony and local data; the group agreed to hold further meetings focused on specific proposals and budget options.