To the editor:

We the Democratic Town Committee of Little Compton, Rhode Island, call upon our General Assembly, our Governor, and the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission to act to protect Rhode Islanders from pandemic related housing insecurity by:
• Enacting a state-wide moratorium on evictions for the duration of the state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus 30 days;

• Ensuring a state-wide ban on utility shut offs for the duration of the state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus 30 days.

Housing insecurity and cost burdens exist in every community in Rhode Island, including ours. The Covid pandemic has made our housing insecure neighbors even more stressed due to loss of income and the uncertainty of when reliable income will return. 

Although the federal government recently extended a moratorium on evictions until the end of this month, renters nervously await the decisions if this protection will be extended beyond January 31, which is fast approaching. 

We are calling upon Governor Raimondo, the newly inaugurated General Assembly, and the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission to enact a state-wide moratorium on evictions and utility shut-offs for the duration of the pandemic and its associated economic restrictions, plus 30 days. 

Rhode Islanders have enough on their plates during this pandemic; the fear of homelessness or utility shut-offs should not be a part of that equation. If action was taken to extend a moratorium on evictions and utility shutoffs for the duration of the pandemic, Rhode Islanders would not have to rely on a chaotic, divided, and transitioning federal government to ensure their housing security while they are unable to pay their rent or utility bills due to lost income. We ask that our legislators, elected officials, and utility providers do not leave Rhode Islanders out in the cold.

— This resolution was adopted by the Little Compton Democratic Town Committee on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. 

Little Compton Democratic Town Committee