Hope City couples move to apartments
5:55 PM Tue, Sep 01, 2009 | Permalink
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- After living in tents for half a year, Roland Colpitts and Barbara Ferrara will move into one of the city's first-ever apartments for homeless couples. "They have their keys," Anne Nolan, president of Crossroads Rhode Island, said Tuesday. The couple, part of a homeless camp called Hope City, recently moved from Providence to Cumberland to avoid eviction from state land. Another Hope City couple will also move into a Providence apartment, and two other single homeless residents will move into a shelter or a community room, Nolan said. The moves will effectively break up the community, which formed in late January under a closed Route 195 bridge in Providence. In the past half year, the group -- living in tents by a highway -- has become a symbol for the state's homeless population. The new apartments, off Cranston Street in the west end of Providence, are part of the Crossroads shelter system, and residents must abide by the agency's rules. The couples, who have all signed agreements, must obey curfews and avoid drug or alcohol use, Nolan said. "This is temporary shelter, until we can get these couple into permanent housing." Several people from Hope City moved at the invitation of Wilfred W. Greene, chief of the Seaconke Wampanogs, to a grassy area near a toxic waste site in Cumberland last Wednesday. The town advised the chief to order the encampment off the land, part of a Superfund hazardous waste site, by Wednesday, saying the industrial zone also bars people from living there. Due to nonpayment of taxes, the town says it owns the property, which had been given to the Seaconke Wampanoags, care of Greene, following a previous tax sale. As of mid-afternoon Tuesday, tents were up at the Cumberland site, but "we're taking everybody for their word that they have plans to be off the site by tomorrow," Mayor Daniel J. McKee said. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Michael P. McKinney 
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It's nice to see some of these homeless people going inside before it gets really cold outside. I hope that they can comply with the rules since there weren't any rules in their homeless camp. I really hope this is a new beginning for them and they do well.
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I hope that these people are deserving types and not the low lifes and druggies who belong in crossroads. I'd hate to see our tax dollars spent on a useless gesture.
Anybody who tells me that this is a cruel attitude had better volunteer to take in some of these people and shelter them to see what I'm talking about.
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I want a free place to live too!
If this couple both went to work a Mc Donalds, Walmart or whatever they could go get a $700 1 bedroom somewhere.
Plus they prob get an SSI check like everyone else in this state.
This is why nothing gets done in this state because our tax dollars go to help bums, and all these people feel bad for them.
Lazyness zould not be rewarded!
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OK, before u think u know me again I am going to tell u. No I do not recieve SSI or SSDI or Welfare and I love to work. Now we have NO furniture at all in this apartment. We have a 30 day contract in this SHELTER!!!! With an extension up to 90 days. For the rest of u, lets see McD's has aboput 50 apps a day, also walmart ect, I know I applied to all. Oh did I neglect to tell you that I had 2 JOBS last year while sleeping outside and needed help with bus pass for 3 days and Crossroads said NO!!
You know where to find me if you need me.
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JAAB - Have you not been paying attention? One of the women who lived at this homeless site worked full time as a nurse!! She lost her home in a foreclosure situation.
Before you cast stones look at the whole picture. Only then can you play judge and jury.
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You just wait till the only taxpayers are the state/county/munincipak unionized employees. I already know but we'll all see what democrats are made of.
Enjoy!
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