Woonsocket council advances lease for 50‑bed Open Doors shelter; camping ban wins first passage amid intense public comment

The Woonsocket City Council voted 7–0 on April 21 to give first passage to an ordinance that would lease 181 Cumberland Street to Open Doors for a temporary homeless shelter and later that evening passed, on first reading, an ordinance that would prohibit camping on public property, moving the measure forward 5–2.

The lease authorizes Open Doors to operate a 50‑bed shelter at 181 Cumberland Street under a 17‑month agreement that Open Doors’ leadership said would be entirely paid for with state funds. "This project will be fully paid for by the state, everything from utilities to trash removal," Open Doors co‑executive director Nick Horton told the council, and he said the lease would generate nearly $150,000 in rent over 17 months.

Why it matters: Council members framed the two votes as companion steps — creating temporary shelter capacity while giving the city a tool to address encampments that residents say have left public spaces unsafe and unusable. Opponents warned the camping ban risks criminalizing people with no immediate housing options; supporters said the ordinance provides a humane process tied to expanded shelter capacity.

Open Doors and referrals Open Doors, which runs shelters elsewhere in Rhode Island, told the council its shelters operate under strict rules including searches at intake and a no‑drugs policy. Horton said his staff would prioritize placements for…