Shelter Village Could Provide Temporary Housing For Those Living On Mass And Cass
BOSTON (CBS) -- A new partnership between the state and a private company addresses homelessness and drug addiction in Boston. Dozens of people could be moved from the crisis at Mass and Cass to a temporary housing development on the Shattuck Hospital campus in Jamaica Plain.
"I think it's a start to giving individuals a roof over their head like an actual roof over their head, treating individuals like human beings," said Yahaira Lopez, founder of the South End-Roxbury Community Partnership, a group trying to improve the situation at Mass and Cass.
'Sleeping in tents is inhumane, sleeping with rodents is inhumane," she said.
Pallet is an organization the builds shelter villages. The plan is to put 18 cabins on the Shattuck campus that will sleep up to 30 people.
The cabins can be assembled quickly, have locks, climate control, and electricity, and provide a safe place to sleep.
"At this point, we need to try anything and everything," said Lopez. "Maybe this is the start of looking into other places where they can launch a bigger initiative where they can help more than 30 people."
Meals, laundry, mental health, and addiction services will be provided. The goal is to help people transition from the streets to permanent housing.
"We hope there is a level of management because we as a community feel the majority of what has happened on Mass and Cass is a lack of management," explained Lopez.
Earlier this month, Boston city workers began removing tents from the Mass and Cass intersection.
Gov. Charlie Baker said the state is working with Boston to find solutions.
"Certainly I believe that part of that plan going forward will involve a continued focus on treatment and homelessness which has been a big part of what the Shattuck campus has been about since the beginning," said Baker.
The temporary housing is expected to be ready next month.