The Providence City Council approved a resolution Thursday night calling on Gov. Dan McKee to declare homelessness a public health emergency.

Two days after Providence’s City Council Chambers were controversially opened to the city’s homeless population, the council was back in those same chambers demanding Gov. Dan McKee declared a public health emergency.

Though the number of unhoused people has been steadily rising, the governor has pushed back against a declaration. “I would be solving one problem by creating a new one,” he said. “I am not going to do that.

Councilor Justin Roias said 31 homeless people slept inside the city council chambers Tuesday night without issue.