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S 2621Benefit Programs

Human Services - Homelessness Employment Program

This bill creates a pilot program hiring homeless individuals for temporary community cleanup jobs while connecting them to support services.

Introduced
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 13, 2026Committee Senate Labor & Gaming

Plain-English Summary

This legislation establishes the "Homelessness Employment Program," a three-year pilot initiative managed by the Executive Office of Housing. The program provides temporary, paid employment to individuals experiencing homelessness to perform community beautification tasks, such as litter removal, landscaping, and graffiti cleanup. Participation is voluntary and designed to be accessible, requiring no permanent address or prior work experience. Workers are paid at least minimum wage and receive safety protections. Additionally, the program aims to connect participants with supportive services, including help obtaining identification, housing navigation, and health referrals.

For younger readers

This new law creates a special program to help people who do not have a home. It gives them a chance to work on short-term jobs cleaning up neighborhoods, parks, and other public places. For example, they might pick up trash or fix up gardens. They will get paid money for this work. The program also helps them get important things they might need, like proper ID cards or help finding a place to live. It is designed to be safe and easy for them to join if they want to.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Individuals experiencing homelessnessMunicipalitiesNonprofit organizationsState agenciesGeneral public (users of public spaces)
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Provides immediate, low-barrier income and employment opportunities for marginalized individuals experiencing homelessness, directly addressing economic instability and promoting dignity.
  • Connects vulnerable populations with essential supportive services, such as housing navigation, healthcare referrals, and assistance with identification documents, fostering a holistic approach to rehabilitation.
  • Prioritizes public good by improving shared community spaces through beautification and sanitation projects, benefiting the general welfare of neighborhoods.
  • Establishes employment that is temporary and does not guarantee long-term job security, potentially leaving participants vulnerable once the short-term work ends.
  • Mandates only the minimum wage rather than a living wage, which may not be sufficient to help individuals realistically afford housing in the current economic climate.
  • Risks being utilized as a way to secure low-cost labor for municipal maintenance without addressing the deep systemic root causes of homelessness and poverty.
For Conservatives
  • Encourages a work-first approach to social assistance, promoting personal responsibility and the dignity of earning a paycheck rather than relying solely on unconditional handouts.
  • Improves the aesthetic, sanitation, and safety of public spaces through cleanup and graffiti removal, potentially increasing property values and community pride.
  • Utilizes a voluntary workforce to perform necessary maintenance tasks, potentially offering a practical return on investment for taxpayer funds used in social services.
  • Creates a new government program and expands the bureaucracy within the Executive Office of Housing, leading to potential increases in government spending and size.
  • Relies on taxpayer funds to subsidize employment that might otherwise be managed by private charities or the free market, rather than reducing government involvement.
  • Lacks strict mandates for sobriety or behavioral compliance as a condition for employment, potentially using public funds to support individuals with untreated issues.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 74 additions

SECTION 1. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds and declares:

(1) Homelessness remains a significant challenge affecting individuals and families throughout the State of Rhode Island, creating barriers to stable employment, housing, and self- sufficiency;

(2) Individuals experiencing homelessness are frequently excluded from the workforce due to lack of permanent address, transportation, access to identification documents, or recent work history;

(3) Gainful employment, even on a short-term or transitional basis, can improve self- esteem, provide income, build work history, and serve as a pathway toward long-term housing stability;

(4) Day-labor and transitional employment programs implemented in other jurisdictions have demonstrated success in providing immediate, low-barrier employment opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness while simultaneously improving public spaces;

(5) Beautification, sanitation, and cleanup projects benefit the public health, safety, and quality of life of Rhode Island communities; and

(6) It is in the public interest to establish a pilot program that pairs paid employment for individuals experiencing homelessness with community beautification and cleanup efforts, while connecting participants to supportive services.

SECTION 2. Title 40 of the General Laws entitled "HUMAN SERVICES" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 40-23-1. Establishment of program.

(a) There is hereby established within the executive office of housing, established pursuant to § 42-167-1, in consultation with the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals and other state agencies and departments, a homelessness beautification and employment program (“the program”).

(b) The program shall provide paid, temporary employment opportunities to individuals experiencing homelessness to perform community beautification, sanitation, and cleanup projects including, but not limited to:

(1) Litter and debris removal;

(2) Park, shoreline, and public space cleanup;

(3) Graffiti removal;

(4) Landscaping and beautification projects; and

(5) Other similar projects that improve public property or nonprofit facilities. 40-23-2. Eligibility and participation.

(a) Participation in the program shall be voluntary and open to individuals who:

(1) Are experiencing homelessness or housing instability, as defined by the executive office of housing; and

(2) Are authorized to work in the United States.

(b) The program shall be designed as a low-barrier employment opportunity and shall not require:

(1) A permanent address;

(2) Prior work experience; or

(3) Participation in law enforcement or encampment enforcement actions. 40-23-3. Wages, conditions, and worker protections.

(a) Participants shall be paid an hourly wage not less than the Rhode Island minimum wage.

(b) Participants shall be covered by applicable worker protections, including:

(1) Workers’ compensation coverage;

(2) Workplace safety training; and

(3) Appropriate personal protective equipment.

(c) Employment under the program shall be temporary in nature and shall not create a property right or expectation of continued employment. 40-23-4. Supportive services and workforce development. The executive office of housing may coordinate with state agencies, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and workforce development entities to provide participants with access to:

(1) Job readiness training;

(2) Assistance obtaining identification documents;

(3) Referrals to housing navigation services;

(4) Behavioral health and substance use treatment referrals; and

(5) Connections to longer-term employment opportunities. 40-23-5. Municipal and nonprofit partnerships.

(a) The executive office of housing may enter into agreements with:

(1) Municipalities;

(2) State agencies;

(3) Nonprofit organizations; and

(4) Other eligible entities to identify projects, supervise work crews, and administer day- to-day operations of the program.

(b) Priority shall be given to projects that:

(1) Improve public health and safety;

(2) Enhance community appearance; and

(3) Provide visible public benefit. 40-23-6. Duration and reporting.

(a) The program shall initially operate as a three (3) year pilot program commencing July 1, 2026, subject to the appropriation of funds.

(b) No later than December 31 of each year, the executive office of housing shall submit a report to the governor, the speaker of the house, and the president of the senate that includes:

(1) The number of individuals served;

(2) The number of work hours provided;

(3) Total wages paid;

(4) Types and locations of projects completed;

(5) Referrals to housing and supportive services; and

(6) Recommendations regarding continuation, expansion, or modification of the program. 40-23-7. Funding.

(a) The general assembly may appropriate funds for the implementation and support of the program established by the provisions of this chapter.

(b) In addition to any appropriation by the general assembly pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the executive office of housing shall apply for and accept applicable federal funds, grants, private donations, or other funding sources to support the program. 40-23-8. Sunset. The provisions of this chapter and the program shall sunset and expire on July 1, 2029, unless extended by the general assembly. 40-23-9. Severability. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.