Rhode Island Housing and Domestic Violence Organizations Sue to Block Trump Administration’s Unlawful Restrictions on Housing and Health Grants
Steven Brown, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island: “It is an injustice to take away critical funding for housing and other services for irrelevant, unlawful, and ideologically driven reasons in a time when Rhode Island, and communities across the country, are experiencing a growing housing crisis. We are dedicated to ensuring the grant process is fair for all, and that organizations are not excluded for failing to comply with conditions that undermine the very statutes these federal agencies are supposed to be implementing.”
Lucy Rios, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV):
“These harmful funding conditions jeopardize decades of progress in how we care for survivors and prevent domestic violence. They attempt to strip away the principles of equity, inclusion, and truth that our services are built on. The data is clear: domestic violence is a public health crisis, it one of the leading drivers of homelessness for women and children, and it doesn’t affect us all equally. There are disparities based on identities like race, sexual orientation, immigration status, and gender identity that impact access to services and justice. In the middle of a housing crisis, restricting access to safe, affirming shelter is not only dangerous, it is devastating and will put lives at risk. These changes would force providers to make an impossible choice between federal support and their commitment to serving all survivors, especially those who are LGBTQ+, unhoused, or from Black and Brown communities. We will not abandon what we know works, and we will not turn our backs on those most impacted by violence.”
Jordan Day, Board President of House of Hope CDC:
“At House of Hope, we believe in the inherent dignity and rights of all people—especially those who are most vulnerable and often have the least access to the resources needed to advocate for themselves. The new federal contract requirements undermine those values by forcing providers like us to comply with restrictions that limit diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to essential care. We cannot, in good conscience, sign contracts that go against our mission. That’s why we’ve joined this lawsuit—to stand up for our community and defend the rights of those with the most to lose.”
Lisa Guillette, Executive Director of Foster Forward:
“Foster Forward is proud to stand alongside other organizations in defense of the young people and communities we serve. These new conditions jeopardize our ability to provide safe, inclusive, and essential services for the youth who count on us. We’re grateful to our legal partners, whose pro bono support is helping us uphold both the law and our values.”
Kim Simmons, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness:
“Homelessness cannot be solved without confronting the deep systemic disparities that make race, gender identity and background determining factors in who receives help and how they receive help. Prohibiting our ability to do this limits our ability to fulfill our mission.”
Michelle P. Taylor, Vice President of Social Health Services Community Care Alliance:
“Community Care Alliance is committed to preserving the rights of our most vulnerable community members and stand ready to defend any threats to the resources that connect people to basic needs for housing, food, and healthcare, including behavioral health.”
Julio E. Berroa, Executive Director of Haus of Codec:
" Haus of Codec is the only emergency housing provider in Rhode Island that exclusively specializes in providing care to LGBTQIA+ clients ages 18 - 24. Without these funds our program would cease to exist. The crucial and life saving services Haus of Codec provides has been a lifeline for our state that is experiencing a significant deficit in affordable housing and shelter beds for all populations. Losing these funds would mean more individuals would be returning to the streat and lose access to food, clothing, essential personal care products and the dignity that no person should live without."
Amy Romero, Chief Legal Counsel of the Lawyers' Committee for Rhode Island:
“The Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island proudly represents six courageous Rhode Island nonprofits – and many others nationwide – who are confronting injustice in order to provide urgently needed safety, housing security, healthcare to vulnerable individuals and families, free from unlawful conditions.”