Economic Justice

This letter was sent to the Providence City Plan Commission regarding a proposed ordinance that would significantly limit the ability of college and university students to live together in Providence.

“No person’s rights, privileges, or access to public services may be denied or abridged solely because he or she is homeless. Such a person shall be granted the same rights and privileges as any other resident of this state.”

Grant Restrictions Jeopardize Crucial Funding for Critical Services, Support and Healthcare

We sent a survey of civil liberties questions to all the candidates running for statewide office (except for Treasurer) that will be on the ballot in the 2026 Rhode Island midterm elections, as well as the Providence mayoral candidates.

This lawsuit was filed by a coalition of organizations to challenge unlawful new grant restrictions from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that are forcing hundreds of nonprofit organizations, domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, and a county safety net hospital to choose between accepting unlawful conditions or forgoing grant funding that is needed to offer critical services, support, and healthcare for communities. Children, youth and families, survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and other vulnerable groups will be affected if these new grant conditions are allowed to remain in place.

This is the second case filed by a broad coalition of local governments and nonprofit organizations across the country — including Rhode Island-based nonprofits Crossroads Rhode Island and Youth Pride, Inc. — seeking to stop the Trump-Vance administration from creating unlawful and unreasonable restrictions for funding for proven solutions to homelessness, threatening to push hundreds of thousands of families onto the street as cold winter months arrive. This case was filed regarding the 2026 fiscal year notice of funding opportunities (NOFO). See NAEH v. HUD (case number: 1:25-cv-00636) for information about the other case challenging HUD’s NOFOs.