Economic Justice

Suit Raises Concerns that Trump-Vance Administration Actions Will Push More Than 170,000 People Into Homelessness as Cold Winter Months Arrive

Rhode Island judge grants temporary restraining order in federal housing funding case.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness and Women's Development Corporation, a Rhode Island organization that develops affordable housing, file suit in Rhode Island

This case was 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 "friend of the court" brief was submitted to challenge the RI Attorney General's position that state officials are immune from ever being sued in federal court under one of RI’s key anti-discrimination civil rights statutes.

This case suit challenges new funding restrictions on federal housing grants. Under the new funding application rules, service providers and communities are blocked from applying for federal housing funds for new permanent supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness if they operate in jurisdictions with policies the Trump-Vance administration disfavors. This includes cities and states, like Rhode Island, that the Trump Administration deems to be “sanctuary protections” for immigrants; that provide services considered “harm reduction” services for drug users; and that have inclusive policies for transgender people.  

The R.I. Center for Justice and cooperating counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of RI have filed a lawsuit on behalf of four low-income tenants in Pawtucket and West Warwick who have been threatened with eviction for associating with Reclaim RI, a non-profit agency that organizes tenants to vindicate their rights to safe and healthy housing conditions. In October 2025, the case was brought to RI Superior Court and an amended complaint was filed.