Woonsocket council urges state to abandon proposed encampment-notice law, passes resolution

The Woonsocket City Council on May 18 approved Resolution 26R41 opposing House Bill H8000 Substitute A, which would impose a 20-day notice requirement and additional reporting steps before municipalities may remove homeless encampments. The resolution passed by unanimous voice vote after an extended debate in which councilors and the mayor defended local cleanup and shelter efforts.

Councilman Kinoy, who led the motion in favor of the resolution, framed the measure as an unwanted state intrusion on municipal efforts. “The city of Woonsocket does a lot. Can we do more? Sure,” he said, arguing that the bill would “create additional process and burdens on communities” and undermine local work to address drug use and public health risks. He cited recent encampment cleanups and said many cleared sites contained used needles and paraphernalia.

Supporters pointed to a pattern of visible drug activity and public-safety concerns downtown. Councilman DuBois said the city’s combined efforts—police, human services and volunteer cleanups—have been intensive and should not be hamstrung by a one-size-fits-all state mandate. Multiple public commenters had submitted photographs and first-hand accounts documenting needles, human waste and trash in parks and on riverbanks earlier in the meeting.

Opponents of the resolution were not recorded at the meeting, but Councilwoman Gonzales said that while statewide rules may be appropriate for some communities, Woonsocket has invested in a community partnership task force and situation table that she said “is working” and therefore should not be constrained. “There is room for this in our state for certain cities, but ours is not one of them,” she said, and indicated she would not support the state bill as written.

Mayor Beauchamp described ongoing coordination with police and human services, noting that shelter capacity was reduced after winter beds closed and that the city was exploring modest increases to shelter capacity and additional outreach. Police and administration representatives reported recent encampment removals, no-trespass notices and arrests tied to enforcement activity, and committed to continued foot and bike patrols in downtown areas.

The council’s resolution asks state lawmakers to reconsider or amend H8000 Substitute A so it does not impede local strategies; the item passed the council’s vote that evening. The mayor and council said they will continue to press for local coordination with state agencies, and to seek amendments that exempt or tailor requirements for municipalities with active partnership efforts and response plans.

Next steps: the resolution will be transmitted to the city’s state delegation and appropriate legislative committees; the Senate’s consideration of any companion bill was expected to determine whether the matter proceeds at the state level.