City of Boston moves homeless encampments off busy Southampton Street near Mass and Cass
BOSTON - It began around 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning and it was a familiar sight. Social service workers were helping pack up people and their belongings who've been living on busy Southampton Street and moving them in the area known as Mass and Cass.
What's different today says Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is an added safety concern. "With cars flying by there have been way too many close calls and near misses," said Mayor Wu who visited the area.
They were moved to Atkinson, a side street that was the scene of a large-scale encampment nearly 10 months ago before it was dismantled by the city, which has been trying to deal with the area that's like an open-air drug market ever since.
Susan Sullivan who is the head of the Newmarket Business Association says the cleaning has been ongoing and necessary. "You don't want people to get too comfortable," Sullivan said. "If you just let people stay out here all you'll get is more and more tents every day."
Doris Wong, who owns Fast Pak Express on Atkinson Street, says her property is constantly vandalized, and believes this move only hides the problem down a side street where she says she's seen it all before. "They're hiding them in here, and when winter comes and the tents pop back up no one is going to say no," said Wong.
Mayor Wu says more than 200 people have been transitioned to housing, but the area continues to see an influx of people, though encampments she believes have been controlled. "The goal is to de-densify the area. Large crowds are not healthy for residents seeking services and treatment here in such a chaotic setting," said Mayor Wu.
But the chaos continues says some who know these streets, leaving the city with no easy solutions. "It's getting worse, every day it's getting worse," said Stacey Gillis, who is trying to obtain housing.
The mayor says the city needs more funding from the state and other partners to help deal with the demand.
