by Billy Kepner | May 21, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
The story in yesterday’s Providence Journal regarding the history of JUMP Bikes in Providence was alarming.
In July of 2019, after the e-bike and e-scooter programs littered our sidewalks and waterways and were used in the commission of crime in our neighborhoods, I introduced a resolution to fully evaluate the program’s operation. The resolution, which was passed by the Council, required that the administration provide a comprehensive findings report of the e-bike and e-scooter pilot programs in the City within 30 days of passage. We have still not received the report.
While I support environmentally-friendly and equitably-accessible modes of transportation, I did not support the administration’s insistence on expanding the program without a thorough analysis of the program and absent any effort to mitigate the nuisances these bikes presented to our neighbors.
We have a duty to our residents to ensure that implementation of any third-party partnership is executed in a way that supports public safety, holds businesses accountable, and makes sense for our City and our taxpayers.
This program did not meet those very basic criteria.
Jo-Ann Ryan, Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 5
by Billy Kepner | May 20, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
It has been brought to my attention that the Omni Providence hotel has decided to drop its health insurance for its employees. It is appalling that a major hotel chain would make this decision during the time of a global pandemic and cause further burden to its employees. In addition, it violates their own contract with the UniteHere Local 26 Union. I would urge the Omni Providence to change this course of action, and not cancel their employee’s much-needed health insurance.
Nicholas J. Narducci Jr., Senior Deputy Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 4
by Billy Kepner | May 20, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
Councilman David Salvatore (Ward 14) will introduce a resolution at tomorrow’s City Council meeting urging the United States Senate to pass Senate Bill 2020 S.3620. This bill, sponsored and introduced by Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed, would establish a $75 Billion Housing Assistance Fund with the Department of the Treasury.
“As a country, we need to be prepared to mitigate financial distress in all areas of the economy, especially housing,” stated Councilman David Salvatore. “When unexpected disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic hit our Country, it is the job of elected officials to ensure that Americans stay safe and healthy, but also to ensure that Americans are still having their basic needs met; such as reliable housing.”
Senator Reed’s Housing Fund would provide assistance to communities across the Country. It also includes a small state minimum, ensuring that every state would receive at least $250 Million for the purpose of preventing homeowner mortgage defaults, foreclosures or displacement of individuals and families who have faced financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Providence has struggled with a housing crisis since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and Rhode Island has faced one of the highest increases in unemployment in the country due to COVID-19. These factors have caused concern that Rhode Island may see widespread evictions and foreclosures which would be detrimental to the State’s economy.
Councilman Salvatore continued, “Senator Reed’s proposed bill is exactly the type of leadership that we need to see in Washington as we try to get our country back on its feet. Protecting the housing market is crucial for the financial health of the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island.”
The fund will also provide assistance with paying for utilities, internet services, and property taxes. Funds will be allocated to each state based on the proportion of unemployment as compared to the rest of the country.
“Protecting homeowners and renters who have faced financial hardship because of COVID-19 must be a priority for Congress. That is why I urge our United States Representatives and Senators to support Senator Reed’s bill S. 3620. I would personally like to thank Senator Reed for his continued leadership on behalf of the people of Rhode Island,” stated Councilman Salvatore.
Upon passage, copies of the resolution will be sent to each member of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation.
by Billy Kepner | May 17, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
Like many in my community, it has been upsetting to say the least, at the lack of respect and decorum of our college community during this past week.
The behavior that has been illustrated on Eaton Street and in other areas of our City is in opposition to nearly every guideline our State health officials have put forth to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Our colleges and universities are community partners, but in this instance, their response and their actions have failed us and put our residents at risk.
Selfish behavior by these students also put our public safety officials in harm’s way and took them away from other duties.
I understand that graduating from college is a pivotal moment in a young person’s life, but we are living under a different set of circumstances. This behavior is abhorrent, and my concern for my neighbors does not end today, but what happens when these leases turn over and a new crop of off-campus students come into our neighborhoods? I am asking our College and University partners to explain how they are going to help mitigate this type of behavior from continuing.
The summer months are quickly approaching, and the virus might slow down, but it is far from over. We need to have a plan to keep our residents and our public safety officials safe. Young people are not immune to this virus. They could be asymptomatic carriers and not even know it. They could be moving here from areas that are still considered “hot spots,” and if this behavior continues it could make our cases – which are already at the top in the state – continue to grow rather than decrease.
I will be working with my colleagues to pass legislation requiring our City’s colleges and universities to provide a mitigation plan to keep our off-campus students and neighbors – many of whom who have lived in our neighborhoods for generations – safe as we continue to navigate our way through this pandemic and our “new normal.”
Jo-Ann Ryan, Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 5
by Billy Kepner | May 17, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-12
I have gotten multiple calls this week from concerned friends and neighbors who have witnessed reckless partying on Eaton Street. The partying, occurring in off-campus housing abutting Providence College comes at a time when the COVID-19 crisis remains extremely dangerous and is taking lives every day.
According to the Rhode Island Department of Health gatherings are still limited to 5 or less, and these students refuse to comply with that and other safety precautions put forth by the Department.
These students endangered my community, a largely low income and black and brown community that has been hit hard by the pandemic. In fact, the “02908”, which is a popular housing company for students, was in the top 5 zip codes in the state for COVID-deaths.
A few days ago, a white student reportedly told a community member to “fall down the stairs” when she voiced her concern about student partying in her neighborhood. This news is especially troubling during a week when we have learned that two innocent, Black Americans lost their lives at the hands of white violence and multiple white police officers issued force when addressing Black and Brown Americans who were not wearing masks in public.
The Providence College community must learn to be more sensitive about their positionally in the community which they continue to gentrify and benefit from. I am disgusted by this behavior and I look forward to an apology from these students and a conversation with the College about how they will remedy this hurt that they have caused Smith Hill and my neighborhood.
To be clear, the problem is not exclusively Providence College students— Johnson and Wales University and Bryant College students also live around the PC campus on the street perpendicular to Eaton. Regardless, they remain the majority of students living in this area.
Kat Kerwin
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 12
by Billy Kepner | May 16, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
Over the past few days I have seen a number of my neighbors posting images on Facebook and other platforms of large gatherings of young people, likely college students, who were not wearing face masks, not socially distancing, and gathering in groups far larger than they should.
As we see cases of the coronavirus decreasing across the State, our City is still seeing high infection rates. We have to be prepared for when this virus returns again in the fall, and that is why I am going to be holding a meeting in the coming weeks with stakeholders across the City to ensure that we keep our college population safe and that of our residents.
As the Councilor for much of the Elmhurst neighborhood, I was shocked to see photos of our local college students – who were still in their rental units – disregarding the orders put forth by Governor Raimondo. Moreover, I was disappointed while driving down Eaton Street recently and seeing it covered in trash from what looked like a party environment. I am concerned that these gatherings are not just happening in Elmhurst, but could be happening across the City where our several universities reside. That is why as a City we need to have a proactive approach to dealing with our college population when they return, as some off-campus students will be returning as early as June 1.
We have empathy for all of our college students whose lives were transformed in a day – the rites of passage of graduating, spending that last night with their friends at their favorite college bar, the chance to have those last moments of freedom before they end this chapter of their lives were taken away. Yet, we were all young and many of us thought we were invincible. What we know of this virus is that no one is invincible – not even young healthy college kids.
Like them, our lives have been turned upside down. Those lucky enough to have a job and work from home are doing so, those of us with school-aged children are now working as teachers aids, all while balancing the stress that this pandemic has caused for each of us.
Our colleges are vital parts of our economy, but we have to be vigilant for them and for our residents. We have to listen to scientists that believe the virus will return again and we are still months and months away from a cure or a vaccine.
As our younger residents wind down their time here in Providence, I ask them to think about their neighbors, the families they are returning home to, their futures, and their health. We are not out of the woods yet, and as Robert Frost once wrote – We have miles to go before we sleep.
Let’s take care of each other and ourselves. We all play a part – young and old alike.
David A. Salvatore
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 14
