Only on 10: Housing Secretary Pryor talks shelters, affordable housing
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — In just his third day on the job, Rhode Island's new housing secretary, Stefan Pryor, sat down with NBC 10 on Wednesday to answer questions about the state's most pressing housing issues.
Pryor said the issues at the Cranston Street Armory have been fixed, and he said there are shelter beds available for those in need.
But when it comes to the situation on Interstate 95 in Pawtucket, we're still not getting clear answers as to why they haven't been able to relocate anyone taking shelter at the underpasses.
Pryor said outreach workers are going out and speaking with individuals experiencing homelessness, but he couldn't specifically say what the hold up is in getting them to shelter.
"We do need to deal with scenarios where public safety risks exist. For all involved. We need to deal with scenarios where individuals who are currently experiencing homelessness where motorists where others could be experiencing risk and that is the job of all of us. It's the job of the cities and towns involved. It's the job of the state. It's the job of the nonprofit providers," Pryor said.
The Pawtucket mayor's office said it is working with the state and nonprofits to ensure people know about available shelters.
But because the overpass is on state land, the mayor's office said the city doesn't have the power to issue eviction notices.