Woonsocket officials press Open Doors shelter to open as winter nears; council members outline bed capacity plans
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Summary
Council members and city officials raised concerns about delays opening the city-contracted Open Doors shelter, urged faster inspections and outlined winter shelter capacity including 50 beds at Open Doors and additional winter sites.
City officials and council members pressed Open Doors and partner agencies on Monday for a faster opening of a city-contracted shelter site, saying the city must have emergency beds available before colder weather arrives.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Fox, who toured the new Open Doors facility and a comparable shelter site, told the council she was impressed with the services but urged faster readiness. “They have the funding, they have the staff capacity, and they have the space in that shelter to open up an additional number of beds,” Fox said, adding that the city should hold providers to clear timelines and find alternatives if a provider cannot open as promised.
Mayor Beauchamp and the city’s building and human-services staff described recent progress on inspections and permits. The city solicitor and Director D’Agostino said the lease for the Cumberland Street site began Aug. 1, 2025, and that fire-suppression work and a fire-marshal inspection recently identified two minor items now being addressed. The mayor said outstanding alarm and electrical permits are being completed and that the city has pressed for timely final inspections.
Officials outlined near-term winter capacity plans. The numbers discussed in the meeting were: - Open Doors (Cumberland Street site): 50 shelter beds (city-contracted); - Clinton Street facility (Community Care Alliance): 40 beds for winter shelter; - Harvest Community Church (seasonal men’s shelter): about 20 beds for the winter; - Dignity Bus program: approximately 20 spaces noted in discussion. City staff and several councilors said those beds, if all available, would move roughly 130 individuals off the street for winter shelter.
Council members and public commenters told the council they want the city to hold providers accountable for timelines and to be ready to shift support if a given operator cannot open or scale as required. Council President Gendron and Councilman Kenoyer questioned why the facility leased in May had not opened by late October; Director D’Agostino said the city has been scheduling inspections and stripping administrative delays where possible but that some items (electrical permits, alarm permits and final building inspections) must be completed before opening.
Public commenters who raised homelessness during the public-comment period included Jim Julie of Allen Street, who described faith-based outreach efforts, and Chris Beauchamp, who described ongoing market and planning work and said residents should contact the mayor’s office if they have questions. Several residents and volunteers reported clean-up efforts at encampments and that many encampment residents had been placed on shelter waiting lists.
Why it matters: Officials said winter shelter capacity and timely openings are urgent because federal/state benefit changes and rising housing costs will likely increase housing insecurity. Council members urged a combination of immediate shelter capacity and longer-term housing solutions.
Next steps identified in the meeting: city staff will continue inspections and finalize outstanding permits; the mayor’s office and human-services staff will confirm bed openings and maintain lists of people prioritized for shelter; council members signaled willingness to escalate oversight if openings are not timely.
