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Boston resuming tent removal protocols in the area of Mass. and Cass
The city is telling individuals in the area that all tents and structures need to be removed from Atkinson Street by May 1.
Boston is resuming its encampment protocols around Mass. and Cass, warning individuals living unsheltered on Atkinson Street that all tents and structures need to be removed by Monday.
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The change comes after officials chose not to remove tents in the area during the winter months “out of concern for the wellbeing of unsheltered individuals,” a city spokesperson said.
“Individuals in the area are being asked to voluntarily remove their tent and are being encouraged to take advantage of the free shelter, substance use treatment, relocation, and storage options available to them,” the statement read. “The City’s daily outreach efforts continue and an enhanced case management team is connecting with every individual in the area and developing individualized service plans.”
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Mass. and Cass — the area surrounding the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard that stretches across parts of the South End and Roxbury — has been recognized for years by officials as the epicenter of the overlapping crises of addiction, mental health, and homelessness in the region.
Mayor Michelle Wu promised a public health approach to the humanitarian crises when she took office, and in January 2022, her administration set a deadline for individuals living in encampments in the area to be connected with services and for the temporary structures to be removed. The move was part of what her administration described as an “individualized” approach to the crisis, which included moving people into several newly created low-threshold supportive housing sites, including at the Roundhouse Hotel and cottages on the grounds of the Shattuck Hospital.
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Following the 2022 deadline, the city began enforcing protocols for removing encampments in the area. But people have continued to arrive, and the debate over how to address the crisis has carried on.
In the flyer being distributed in the area by the city this week, individuals living in the encampments around Mass. and Cass are being encouraged to “start making arrangements” to move their belongings and leave the area “as soon as possible” in advance of the May 1 deadline.
“We understand that a tent or structure has been your temporary home, but it is important to ensure the safety and cleanliness of the area for everyone,” the pamphlet reads. “Illegal and harmful activity that has occurred inside tents and structures is of deep concern to law enforcement and public health teams. The presence of tents and structures has also caused damage to the environment and surrounding infrastructure. Emergency vehicles and businesses have found it difficult to access the street. With cold weather subsiding, we thank you for your help making the neighborhood safer by removing encampments.”
People are being urged to ask outreach workers for assistance finding alternative shelter, treatment for substance use, storage options, or getting back to their “home community.”
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“We are here to help,” the flyer states. “We appreciate your cooperation in this matter and hope that you find a safe and secure place to stay.”
The city said it has also rolled out a new protocol to help friends and family connect or communicate with their loved ones who are living in the area.
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