Between now and January 12, temperatures are expected to drop to single digits and could feel much colder. Without exaggeration, this is a death sentence for the people who shelter outside this winter.

In the past year, 54 people have died because they reside outside in the elements and more have lost their lives because of diseases or illnesses they got as a result of their status of being homeless.

Recognizing that we are in the middle of two crises, the housing crisis and the homelessness crisis, we demand urgent action from Governor McKee to declare, by executive order, a Public Health Emergency to save lives. No one should die simply because they do not have a roof over their head.

There are at least 674 people currently waiting for shelter in Rhode Island and the harsh reality is that we will not be able to magically build hundreds of units overnight to house those for those who urgently need protection from the harsh New England winter conditions.

Governor McKee has the ability to and must act urgently to save lives. We know we will not be able to solve the problems that lead to homelessness overnight. By declaring a state of emergency, he can bypass the rules and regulations that prevent swift action like opening up additional overnight shelters and dispersing funds to community organizations that serve our homeless neighbors in this cold weather. We need a leader that treats this emergency as urgently as is needed.

Governor McKee's failure to act will result in deaths. It is our duty as Rhode Islanders to care for our neighbors and demand that the Governor ensures that every single Rhode Islander, no matter if they have a physical address or if they are residing outside, has a leader willing to do everything to protect them.

Governor McKee, this is an urgent and dire situation, and you must act swiftly and guarantee there is a plan to get resources to every municipality.

You must make sure every organization, agency, and/or municipality that supports our homeless neighbors has the resources to:

1. Conduct outreach to the homeless and notify them where there are safe, warm shelters during this winter vortex
2. Safely shelter homeless neighbors on-site
3. Provide resources for neighbors to store their belongings while they are temporarily sheltered from the conditions.