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Mayor: lease signed for 50-bed Open Doors shelter; building work and inspections underway
Summary
Mayor Chris Beauchamp told the Woonsocket City Council a lease was signed for a 50-bed shelter at 181 Cumberland Street and that building upgrades and inspections are in progress; an opening date remains uncertain.
Mayor Chris Beauchamp told the council on Monday that a lease has been signed for a 50-bed Open Doors shelter at 181 Cumberland Street and that contractors are performing building updates and inspections ahead of occupancy.
"There is a lease that's been signed. They are in the building doing their updates to 181 Cumberland Street... Sprinkler system has been updated and checked. It's got passed," the mayor said, adding that the shelter team is preparing the building and awaiting final signoffs from fire and building departments.
The mayor said he did not expect the facility to open immediately but estimated it could be a few weeks or longer, depending on final inspections and signoffs. He said the shelter readiness will trigger outreach to people living in encampments to inform them of options and timelines to move.
Why it matters: Establishing the shelter is the city's stated next step in addressing unsheltered individuals and encampments; the mayor said the city will approach encampment outreach "in a humane fashion" and coordinate human services and public safety staff.
Next steps: Final fire and building signoffs; once approved, the city intends to transfer or offer shelter placements and continue encampment outreach and cleanup work in coordination with human-services staff.
