A Pawtucket resident who signed up as Danny Banning urged the council to permit use of the City Hall parking lot as a temporary overnight "protected emergency shelter," presenting a step‑by‑step operating plan and a request for approximately $8,300 in startup supplies.

The commenter said an estimated 43 people in Pawtucket were unsheltered and that the number of unhoused residents has risen 15 percent over the prior year. She proposed using the lot across from City Hall, operating outside business hours to minimize conflicts with nearby residences and storefronts. Proposed operating hours were 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., with check‑in from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. and check‑out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Operational details provided: the plan calls for two large outer tents (segregated by gender/household type) and smaller personal tents inside the canopy, individually bagged sleeping gear stored in a one‑parking‑space storage shed, weekly cleaning and sanitizing of sleeping gear, hot water bottles and thermoses for warmth, foam mats, rechargeable lights, and a sign‑in/check‑out procedure for accountability. The speaker said she had secured a partnership with Open Doors to provide training and existing policies and practices for safe operation and said volunteers plus two officers each night would be needed to set up, supervise, and break down each evening.

Cost and next steps: The speaker said she had prepared a full budget and materials list that totaled "under $8,300" and offered to supply copies of the documentation to the clerk’s office. She asked the council to authorize use of the parking lot and to provide the requested startup funds and staffing or to direct the clerk/administration to review the proposal and report back.

Context: The presentation was offered as public input during the Board of License Commissioners session; no formal motion or council action was recorded during this meeting on the proposal.

Ending: The speaker left written materials with the clerk and said she would provide digital documentation; councilors acknowledged receipt and asked staff to accept the materials.