►
Description
Government Operations Hearing-Docket #1373-An ordinance to support public safety as the City doubles down on our public health-led approach to the crises of mental health, substance use, and unsheltered homelessness concentrated in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard.
To view Part 1 of this hearing please visit:
https://youtu.be/bxj27UcXaFU
A
It
just
comes
down
to
the
principle
of
harm
reduction
and
just
understanding
that
just
outlawing
something
doesn't
make
it
go
away.
Telling
people
not
to
use
I
I
mean
addictions,
are
very
powerful.
People's
brains,
get
reformatted
to
you,
know,
crave
drug
and
then
also
to
kind
of
go,
have
other
addictive
behaviors
as
well
searching
for
a
kind
of
dopamine
rush,
and
so
you
know
knowing
what
we
know
about
addiction.
You
have
to
give
people
the
tools
to
be
healthy
and
the
tools
to
be
healthy
are
not
criminalization.
C
C
So
a
few
thoughts
I
have
are
that,
like
you
know,
I
think
one.
We
need
like
a
hub
and
spoke
model
right
like
many
of
the
services,
as
has
been
mentioned,
are
not
going
to
leave.
The
mass
and
cast
area
right
like
citing
is
one
of
the
major
issues
with
any
sort
of
program
to
support
people
who
are
poor.
People
who
use
drugs
right
and
so
like
you're,
never
gonna
find
another
spot
for
a
shelter.
You're,
never
gonna
find
you're
not
going
to
relocate
BMC.
C
That
has
a
lot
of
services
right
like
these
are
just
gonna,
be
there
and
so
like.
If
we
can
offer
folks
other
choice
throughout
the
city,
but
I
think
that
sort
of
like
comes
back
to
like
that
Economist,
a
lot
of
people
don't
want
folks
in
their
neighborhood,
centralized
there,
but
no
other
neighborhood
wants
it
and
so
I
think.
C
Maybe
it
takes
some
like
approaches
where
the
city
Buys
in
leadership
Buys
in
to
these
solutions
that
are
based
in
evidence
and
says
we
are
going
to
do
this
and
we
are
going
to
move
forward
how
this
will
make
your
community
better.
This
will
make
our
Collective
Community
better,
instead
of
sort
of
pulling
back
when
there
is
resistance
and
that's
where
I
think
education
comes
in
and
I
also
think,
just
like
the
logistical
Beyond
like
Federal
Beyond,
we
have
it
very
poor.
C
Public
transportation
system
and
asking
people
to
get
to
other
parts
of
the
city
is
like
somewhat
impossible
right
and
so
I
think
that's
another
piece
that
has
to
be
figured
out,
but
that,
like
full
decentralization
of
services,
is
just
something
that's
not
in
the
realm
of
possibility
and
think
we
all
collectively
probably
have
to
be
realistic
about
that.
But
we
can
offer
choice
if
we
can
get
things
cited.
D
You
I'm
not
sure
this.
This
can
be
answered
here
or
this
time,
but
I
guess
just
if
anyone
has
thought
or
looked
into
conceptualizing
lives
in
Portugal's,
because
I
compared
it
to
the
Outlook
and
it's
not
even
close
so
I,
guess
and
I'm
talking
about
the
Strategic
Outlook
with
Boston
Public,
Health,
commission,
I,
guess
conceptualizing
it
to
Boston
situation.
And
if
anyone
has
thought
about
that
and
then
I
would
say
that
my
closing
comment
is
that
yes,
decentralization
is
a
huge
Challenge
and
a
lot
of
people.
D
D
With
all
of
these
Services
the
highest
with
non-profits,
and
so
you
are
essentially
condensedly
populating
one
district,
one
or
neighborhoods
towns,
Roxbury
Grove,
Hall
area
with
or
lower
Roxbury
with
poverty
and
service
and
you're,
not
you
know,
making
the
economy
fluid
then
gentrifiers
come
in,
they
don't
take
part
in
our
economy.
They
dampen
our
economy
by
isolating
themselves
and
going
to
outside
sources
for
their
shopping
for
their
coffee,
for
their
dog
walks
and
further
harming
our
community.
D
So
I
have
to
continue
to
advocate
in
decentralizing
whether
that
means
that
you
know
we
encourage
Shattuck
Hospital
to
or
the
future
housing
and
Shattuck
to
be
a
more
quality
Central
like
campus,
as
opposed
to
just
quantity,
because
they're
encouraging
800
units-
and
that
means
that
you
just
you
know
just
FIFA
service,
you're
billing,
your
billing
insurance
and
it's
not
it's
a
number
game.
And
so
can
we
get
real
high
quality
Treatment
Center
at
the
Shattuck?
Can
we
make
it
less
numbers
and
then
can
we
do
that?
D
Can
we
duplicate
that
in
other
towns
as
opposed
to
just
pushing
it
all
down
roxberry's
throat
and
so
I?
It's
it
for
me,
it's
not
about
not
in
my
backyard
I'm,
not
squeamish
to
this
I
want
this
I
advocate
it
to
get
mass
and
cast
in
my
in
in
redistricting
I'm
just
advocating
to
saying
look.
We
know
that
decentralization
is
part
of
farm
reduction.
How
do
we
look
at
that
and
share
responsibility
across
the
board
throughout
Boston
or
Massachusetts?
If
anyone
has
can
comment,
it's
fine,
if
not.
E
I
mean
if
I
I
can
quickly
write
what
I'm
not
talking
about
mass
and
cast.
Many
of
you
know:
I'm
yelling
about
zoning
and
various
other
housing
issues
right
and
part
of
the
reason
that
all
of
those
things
exist
in
Roxbury
is
right.
The
city
made
a
choice
at
one
point
in
time
that
this
is
where
they're
going
to
put
things.
It's
not
that
Community
asks
for
them.
It's
not
that
Roxbury
asks
for
these
things.
E
It's
the
city
said:
well,
we
don't
really
care
so
we're
going
to
do
that
and
I'm
not
advocating
for
like
I,
don't
really
care
approach
from
the
city,
but
if
the
city
can
force
things
historically
on
neighborhoods
like
Roxbury,
then
allowing
all
these
other
communities
to
say
no
to
all
of
these
things
in
the
city,
throwing
up
their
hands
and
saying.
Well,
if
you
don't
want
it,
then
we
won't
do
it
right.
E
The
city
has
to
step
up
here,
and
the
city
has
to
say
that
if
we're
going
to
be
really
serious
about,
you
know
making
this
a
regional
solution
and
just
a
solution
outside
the
specific
area
of
Boston
right.
There's
got
to
be
a
lot
of
political
courage
from
the
city
to
not
allow
individual
neighborhoods
to
say
no
to
these
types
of
projects
anymore
and
obviously
from
the
state
to
not
let
you
know
the
neighboring
municipalities
around
Boston
and
throughout
the
States
say
no
as
well.
F
Thank
you,
Mr,
chair
and
I
want
to
thank
my
colleagues.
A
lot
of
my
questions
have
been
asked
and
I
just
want
to
thank
you
for
your
work
in
this
space.
I
think
it's
incredibly
important
that
we
have
Advocates
coming
in
and
providing
alternative
Solutions
and
what
works
and
what's
possible
in
other
spaces.
F
But
why
I
mentioned
Portugal
in
part
because
Council
Finance
Anderson
is
advocating
for
it
and
again.
Yesterday,
I
was
in
the
area
with
some
residents
who
also
were
talking
about
Portugal,
and
one
of
the
things
that
I
find
I
found.
Interesting,
in
addition
to
the
conversation
about
decriminalization,
is
that
there
were
other
things
that
were
also
on
the
table.
F
A
A
You
know
that
decriminalization
itself
certainly
have
societal
benefits
and
I
think
you
know
Sometimes.
Some
of
the
flip
side.
Arguments
can
are
concerned
that
this
results
in
a
you
know,
kind
of
creating
a
culture
that
is
embracing
drug
use,
and
it
turns
out
that
actually,
youth
are
less
likely
to
become
addicted
or
to
start
using
drugs
also
than
they
had
been
in
Portugal
previously,
but
I
would
have
to
I
would
have
to
do
more
research
on
understanding
if
there
were
additional
protective
factors.
A
F
Thank
you,
doctor
and
also
in
your
presentation.
You
talked
about
the
tiny
homes
initiative
in
LA
and
I
was
wondering
if
you
have
a
sense
of
right,
like
I
mean
so
there's
an
extent
we're
doing
that
to
an
ex
to
an
extent
here
when
it
comes
to
the
housing
first
model
when
it
comes
to
the
Cottages
over
at
Chadwick
when
it
comes
to
you
know,
low
threshold
housing.
F
So
what
is
different
like
what
in
comparison
to
the
model
in
La?
What
is
it
is
different
compared
to
what
we're
doing
now
and
if
you
don't
know,
I'm,
just
I'm,
just
always
trying
to
figure
out
what
other
cities
are
doing
better,
what
other
places
are
doing
better
and
how
we
can
improve?
If
that's
the
case,
I
know,
you
know,
I
I
know
that
La
is
deeply
deeply
grappling
with
the
issue
of
houselessness
and
folks
living
in
tents
in
La
to
an
extent
that
we
have
not
experienced
here
and
I.
F
A
You
know
I
think
one
piece
is
certainly
the
scale
of
it
is
is,
is
larger
and
I
think
that
that's
a
major
piece
but
I
don't
know
in
great
detail
beyond
that,
though
I
you
know,
I
I
can
say
that
our
our
prior
Boston
Public
Health,
commissioner,
actually
is
is
in
fact
the
public
health
Commissioner
of
L.A
County,
so
I'm
sure
that
we
we
have
someone
out
out
there.
That
would
be
happy
to
share
some
know-how
and
knowledge.
Yeah.
F
F
I
and
I
don't
know
if
anybody
else
wants
to
weigh
in
on
I
mean
you
brought
up
those
studies
in
your
presentation,
which
is
why
I
mentioned
I,
doubted
the
questions
towards
you,
but
really
if
anybody
else
wanted
to
comment
on
any
of
that,
I
don't
know
oh
okay
and
then
basically
I
think
a
lot
of
the
legal
questions
that
I
share
in
part
with
what
you
were
mentioning
Mark
really
do
have
to
you
know:
I
think
it's
a
challenge
oftentimes.
Whenever
you
have
any
sort
of
ordinance,
especially
one
it's
interesting.
F
The
way
that
this
has
been
written
and
actually
I
know
I
spoke
to
how
it's
really
important.
Whenever
you
have
an
ordinance,
actually
speak
as
clearly
and
as
plain
language
as
you
possibly
can,
and
it's
interesting
I
actually
find
this
ordinance
to
to
be
pretty
plain
language,
even
not
enough
I.
Think
for
for
Education
purpose
for
those
folks
living
here.
For
you
know
Council
Royal
mentioned,
but
you
people
have
to
request
Transportation.
That's
often
how
do
you
know
to
be
able
to
request
that
Transportation?
F
So
I'm
not
saying
it's
perfect,
it's
far
from
that,
but
I
do
think.
A
lot
of
the
questions
will
be
an
implementation
and
whether
or
not
we
trust
the
city
of
Boston
and
the
various
agencies
to
approach
implementation
of
this
ordinance
in
a
way
that
complies
with
like
how
we
want
to
treat
everyone,
how
we
want
to
make
sure
that
we
are
not
violating
any
of
their
constitutional
rights
and
protecting
their
property.
So
I
just
wanted
to
acknowledge
that
I
do
think
that
that
is
where
a
lot
of
the
rub
lies.
G
B
G
G
I
Demand
is
huge
and
it
gets
bigger
as
it
gets
colder.
This
is
a
very
seasonal
thing.
We
see
more
activity
outside
more
overdoses,
all
that
stuff
in
July
and
August,
because
the
weather
is
better
as
it
gets
colder.
A
lot
of
people
move
back
into
shelter
and
not
just
the
mass
cast
folks
so
to
at
a
time
when
shelter
attendance
is
already
over
capacity
and
increasing,
then
to
say
we're
going
to
add
another
150
or
how
many
of
our
folks
now
to
that
those
roles.
I
So
when
we
make
appointments
for
people
at
BMC,
they
cannot
be
afternoon
if
people
are
looking
at
jobs,
they
just
cannot
take
jobs
that
require
them
working
afternoon,
because
if
they
get
back
after
1
pm,
they're
not
guaranteed
to
have
a
bed
in
the
shelter
and
all
those
are
barriers.
So
this
idea
of
people
can't
follow
rules,
but
the
rules
in
the
shelter
are
way
way
worse
than
anyone
would
ever
have
in
their
own
apartment,
just
because
right
now
at
least
have
the
scarcity,
but,
among
other
things,
once
they
get
in
at
one
two.
E
And
if
I
can
just
quickly
add
to
put
it
into
context,
it's
also
not
just
people
at
mass
and
cast
using
these
shelters
right.
The
biggest
story
in
the
news
right
now
is:
we
are
in
a
Statewide,
shelter
crisis
and
it's
not
getting
better.
It's
only
getting
worse.
So
as
we
are
fighting
to
find
placements
for
people
all
over
Massachusetts
Boston
included
the
idea
that
we're
ever
going
to
be
able
to
get
online
enough
adequate
beds
to
house
everybody
I
also,
you
know
I
share
the
same
skepticism.
E
G
B
B
Exactly
so,
my
questions
are
mostly
around
the
legality
of
it,
but
there
are
some
interesting
things
that
you
just
brought
up,
and
you
had
mentioned
it
earlier.
I
I
for
one
am
not
I've,
never
had
to
stay
in
a
shelter
and
I
for
one
am
not
someone
who
you
know
when
I
was
at
the
public
defender
would
try
to
find
people
shelter,
space,
and
that
was
often
very
difficult,
because
we
don't
have
many
dual
diagnosis
areas.
B
I
would
like
you
to
explain
that
so
that
people
who
are
watching
this,
who
are
like
me,
trying
to
understand
how
we
would
know
whether
or
not
there's
any-
and
that
goes
into
my
legal
questions,
but
how
we
would
know,
there's
available
shelter
based
on
what
you
just
said,
sleeping
in
a
chair
in
a
cafeteria
for
me,
is
not
an
available
shelter.
But
how
would
you
what
were
you
speaking
to
when
you
said
that
you
can't
really
track
it
I
think
you
spoke
to
that.
E
E
I
mean
I,
mean
I.
Think
it's
a
lot
of
exactly
what
has
already
been
mentioned
here
right.
This
idea
of
you
know
people
having
to
line
up
outside
of
shelters
hours
in
advance,
write
things
that
you
can't
really
account
for
things
that
you
can't
accurately
say.
This
is
how
many
beds
I'm
gonna,
have
available
that
night.
I
think
you
can
make
estimates
on.
You
know
based
off
of
what
is
has
happened.
What
you
think
is
going
to
happen
tonight,
but
especially
if
you're
gonna,
you
know,
connect
it
back
to
enforcement
right
and
I.
E
Think
it
was
you
who
asked
this
question
earlier
like.
How
often
are
we
updating
this?
Are
you
saying
that
at
this
moment
there
are
no
shelter
beds
and
so
now
we're
in
a
period
where
shelter
is
not
available?
Are
we
saying
for
the
next
couple
of
days
we're
going
to
be
in
that
right,
it's
impossible
to
judge
with
any
type
of
accuracy
and
I
think
it
does
right.
E
B
I'm,
then
am
I,
giving
away
way,
shelters
that
no
longer
exist
am
I
under
am
I
working
under
the
guise
we
have
50
openings
and
I
was
just
told
for
the
whole
day
we
have
50
openings,
but
well.
I
was
told
that
other
officers
in
the
city
were
told
that
they're
doing
their
job
and
all
of
a
sudden
we're
over
capacity.
Now,
even
on
that
number
we
were
given
at
9am.
G
B
There's
no
cross
communication
because
that's
incredibly
difficult
to
have
officers
communicating
with
each
other
during
the
day,
hey
I'm,
taking
three
to
a
shelter.
Let's
update
that
list,
I'm
taking
four
to
the
shelter.
Let's
update
that
list
that
job
of
updating
that
list
is
a
new
burden
that
we
are
putting
on
the
Boston
Police
Department,
to
try
to
ensure
that
there
is
available
shelter
and
the
reasons
for
that
is
because
this
is
an
illegal
document
without
available
shelter.
B
This
is
literally
unconstitutional
without
having
available
shelter,
but
if
you
are
essentially
saying
there's
available
shelter
every
day,
because
our
shelters,
many
of
them
have
a
morning
clear
out
period.
So
essentially,
if
every
morning
you
say
we
got
200
beds,
that
doesn't
actually
mean
that
by
noon
or
1
pm,
you
have
200
ads
right
and
are
we
giving
these
folks
up
to
the
hour
up
to
the
minute
updates,
I
I
have
I
find
it
hard
to
believe
that
we
would
be
sending
out
calls
to
officers
saying
hey.
We
got
only
12
left,
hey.
B
We
only
got
10
left,
that's
not
how
that
generally
works.
Even
if
you're
doing
this
are
you
doing
them
up
to
the
minute,
because
it
literally
matters
if
a
single
person
is
essentially
is
told
to
comply
with
this,
and
the
available
shelter
does
not
actually
exist.
In
that
moment,
that
is
unconstitutional,
and
that
is
a
legal
issue
for
the
city,
and
so
when,
when
I'm
thinking
about
this
application,
I
broke
it
down
in
two
ways.
B
Do
I
think
that
this
idea
works
and
frankly,
I
don't,
but
the
second
one
is
okay,
absent
and
separate
of
that.
How
do
you
legally
enforce
this
in
a
way
that
doesn't
just
lead
to
a
constitutional
crisis
for
the
city
of
Boston,
where
we're
spending
money
on
on
legal
fees
and
I'll?
Just
note
because
the
memo
by
the
ACLU
was
mentioned
that
the
ACLU
specifically
states,
which
other
counselors
here
have
I,
have
the
memo
in
front
of
me.
I'm.
B
Conversation
we're
having
and
ensuring
protection
of
access
to
personal
cross
property,
and
one
of
the
issues
with
that
just
to
get
back
to
this
is
another.
You
know
Spirit
of
the
lock
situation
where
require
you
can't
just
throw
away
people's
personal
belongings
and
medical
identifications
and
all
of
that,
and
what
I
would
just
say
is
somebody
who's,
a
public
defender
who
helped
people
get
on
Mass
health.
B
That
process
is
draining
it's
incredibly
hard
to
get
someone
who
has
real
issues
with
day-to-day
functionality
through
our
bureaucracies,
it's
difficult
for
people
with
phds
and
law
degrees,
and
so,
when
you
remove
their
ID
or
you
remove
a
prescription
drug
or
you
remove
something
like
that,
because
you
throw
away
a
book
bag
or
you
throw
away
something
like
that.
You've
you've
essentially
reversed
like
months
of
work,
just
to
get
that
I
I
call
personally
me
to
get
a
general
practitioner.
B
Visit
I
was
told
I
can't
get
one,
because
we
don't
have
enough
doctors
at
Mass
General
to
schedule
me
a
personal,
just
a
checkup.
So
when
we're
talking
about
this
kind
of
a
law,
there's
all
of
these
Ripple
effects
that
go
into
it.
This
isn't
as
simple
as
you
pull
down
a
tent
and
the
tent
goes
away,
and
then
I
don't
see
this
problem.
So
the
problem's
gone,
this
problem
gets
dispersed
around
the
city
and
there's
all
of
these
Ripple
impacts
that
occur
and
I.
B
The
the
reality
is:
there's
a
lot
of
places
of
an
agreement
I
think
in
this
chamber
and
with
this
Administration
on
methods
towards
getting
folks
into
adequate
medical
facilities,
pipelines
things
that
we
just
don't
have
what
I'm
being
told
with
this
ordinance.
Is
you
know
we
want
you
to
pass
this
law,
but
the
how
we're
going
to
know
whether
or
not
shelters
are
available
that
it's
a
draft
we're
working
on
that
we'll
get
to
that.
How
we're
going
to
make
sure
that
the
personal
property
is
stored?
B
That's
a
draft
tool
we'll
get
to
that
too.
Don't
worry
about
it
that
implementation.
This
idea,
you
know
the
commissioner
with
all
due
respect,
saying
hey,
pass
this
first
and
then
we'll
see
how
it
works.
That's
that's!
That's
not
how
we
do
this
right,
because
those
negative
impacts
can't
be
reversed.
One
of
the
issues
I
have
with
the
personal
storage
here
and
you
can
discuss
sort
of
whether
there's
a
constitutional
Merit
to
this
issue.
B
B
There's
a
there's,
a
real
issue
here
with
what
the
Practical
looks
like
and
so
for
me,
my
concern
is:
even
if
you
create
a
storage
system
where
we
are
storing
people's
Goods
so
that
somebody
might
not
lose
their
medication
might
not
lose
their
identifications
might
not
lose
the
things
that
are
required
for
them
to
live
about
their
day.
Is
there
a
is
it?
Is
it
still
within
the
frame
of
constitutionality?
If
you
can't
access
it
before
I
destroy
it?
B
If,
if
the
question
here
is
we'll
hold
it
for
two
days
three
days
a
week,
24
hours
I
have
no
idea,
because
it
doesn't
say
and
if
I
can't
access
it,
because
I'm
trying
to
figure
out
where
it
even
is,
and
how
to
get
there,
there's
there's
a
there's,
a
ride
to
the
shelter,
but
there's
no
ride
anywhere
else.
Once
they
get
you
to
the
shelter
they're
done,
it
doesn't
say
that
there's
some
ride
system
to
get
your
stored,
Goods,
there's
some
ride
system
to
get
any
of
those
things.
That's
not
presented
in
this
ordinance.
B
Maybe
it
is
part
of
their
plan
that
I,
don't
have,
and
so
from
a
legal
perspective.
I
find
this
to
be
sort
of
dancing
on
the
line.
There's
specific
wordage
that
these
cases
that
you've
mentioned
that
I
mentioned
earlier
use
like
available
shelters.
You
can't
you
can't
arrest
somebody
simply
for
being
homeless
unless
there's
an
available,
shelter
available
to
them
and
the
reality
is
I.
Think
two
weeks
ago
we
we
had
a
governor
who
announced
that
we
are
in
a
shelter
crisis.
B
E
No
right
I
mean
it's
it's
it's
not
right,
there's
so
many
problems
at
play
here,
like
you,
said
right,
we
are
absolutely
in
a
crisis
point
right.
That's
why
we're
back.
We've
got
thousands
of
families
living
in
hotel
rooms
all
across
the
Commonwealth.
I
want
to
be
clear.
The
families
living
in
those
hotels
are
not
just
refugees,
they're,
not
just
people
coming
from
other
countries.
There
are
people
from
here
from
Massachusetts,
and
so
this
is
an
across-the-board
crisis
right.
It
meets
so
many
of
the
crises
right.
E
It
meets
these
right,
we're
in
a
shelter
crisis,
partly
because
of
the
new
arrivals
that
we
have
coming
in
here,
we're
in
a
shelter
crisis,
partly
because
the
cost
of
living
in
Boston
and
all
throughout
Massachusetts
continues
to
rise,
and
people
continue
to
be
forced
out
of
their
home
without
affordable,
affordable
Alternatives,
and
so
they
are
also
increasingly
ending
up
in
the
shelter
system.
And
so,
while
you
know
the
state
has
declared
this,
they
have
not
legally
officially
declared
an
emergency
right.
E
The
governor
called
it
a
state
of
emergency,
but
there's
no
formal
legal
Declaration
on
that.
But
while
we
all
acknowledge
that
we're
in
in
that-
and
you
know
the
state's
trying
to
get
until
you
know
hundreds
of
millions
of
dollars
of
resources
into
this,
we
aren't
actually
doing
anything
to
stop
the
root
cause
of
it,
because
we
partially
can't
right.
We
can't
stop
what's
happening
in
other
countries,
that's
bringing
people
here
and
wow.
E
That's
a
much
longer
hearing,
and
so,
while
the
you
know,
while
all
eyes
are
on
this
I
I,
don't
see
it
getting
better
I,
don't
see
it
being
a
problem
that
gets
alleviated
anytime
soon,
because
there's
so
you
know,
like
I,
said
we're
not
addressing
a
lot
of
the
root
causes.
You
know
we're
throwing
more
money
on
it
at
it,
which
is
what
we
need
to
do
right.
It's
just
simply
what
we
have
to
do.
B
I
I
B
I
Are
yeah
I
mean
there
was
a
time
early
on
when
Southampton
was
open,
that
if
there
were
more
people
than
there
were
beds,
there
was
another
shelter.
I
forget
it
was
called,
but
they
would
have
like
a
group
sitting
at
the
cafeteria
and
then
the
shuttle
bus
would
go
over
to
that
other
shelter
and
they
could
put
them
there,
but
that
other
shelter
closed
and
I
the
past
few
weeks,
like
I,
said
the
shelter
has
been
a
hundred
people
above
capacity
and
no
one's
talked
about
a
shuttle
bus
to
another
shelter.
I
There
is
no
other
shelter
they're
just
stuck
there.
Many
people
I
think
any
reasonable
person
who
shows
up
at
a
shelter
and
says
there's
no
beds,
but
you
can
sit
in
a
chair
just
walks
away.
So
the
hundred
people
that
are
sitting
there
are
on
underestimate
right
because
potentially
other
people
came
in
were
like
actually
I'm
not
going
to
deal
with
this
right
now,
so
to
add
a
big
burden.
I
B
Then
my
final
question
on
on
this
part
I,
think
you
know
my
concerns
I've
made
clear,
but
when
we're
talking
about
the
legal
language
on
this
specifically
there's
sort
of
two
components:
the
storage
Port
component-
that
you
can't
just
get
rid
of
people's
belongings,
but
also
the
the
Practical.
We
are
a
right
to
shelter,
State
and
so
there's
a
practical
component.
There
I
think
you've
answered
those
questions.
E
A
tough
right,
like
you,
know,
the
the
the
case
law
on
this
is
right,
like
somewhat
thin,
we
have
some,
and
so
right,
like
I,
think
we
would
there's
no
necessary
case
law
that
speaks
specifically
to
that.
I
would
certainly
argue
that
that
would
violate
right.
The
constitutional
rights
of
that
person
It
just.
B
Strikes
me
that
that
would
be,
if
you
can't
actually
put
them
in
a
shelter
because
they're
banned
from
all
the
shelters,
then
how
can
you
have
said
that
there's
a
practically
available
shelter
for
that
individual
I
didn't
know?
That
was
an
issue
we
had
until
it
was
actually
brought
up
by
the
previous
panel,
but
from
a
legal
perspective
that
sounds
like
a
real
sort
of
conundrum
unless
we're
creating
temporary
shelters.
F
B
B
If
we
have
a
situation
where
the
legal
workaround
is
that
you
have
to
create
temporary
shelters,
then
we're
telling
neighborhood
residents.
This
will
be
a
temporary
shelter,
but
that's
not
actually
true
and
so
I
have
concerns
sort
of
about
how
that
like-
and
maybe
this
is
better
for
a
working
session.
We
figured
out
there
but
the
legality
of
that
that
creates
a
new
wrinkle
to
that
that
I
hadn't.
Previously,
even
thought
about,
which
is
what,
if
somebody's
literally
banned
from
all
of
these
shelters,.
E
Okay,
can
I
quickly
touch
on
one
thing
that
you
mentioned
I.
Think
it's
important
right
in
your
line
of
questioning
about.
You
know
what
makes
us
different
than
all
these
other
places
that
have
tried
it,
and
you
just
mentioned
it
right.
They
relied
on
the
fact
that
Massachusetts
is
this
quote
unquote
right
to
shelter,
State
and
I
want
to
be
clear:
there's
not
a
housing
Advocate
anywhere
in
the
Commonwealth
of
Massachusetts.
That
will
tell
you
that
Massachusetts
has
ever
lived
up
to
that
right.
E
The
state
does
a
lot
of
things
with
the
technical
definitions
of
homelessness
to
get
around
whether
or
not
people
have
to
be
sheltered.
Just
ask
anyone,
one
that
has
tried
to
get
eligible
people
into
EA
shelter
in
the
past
I've
ever
really,
but
in
particular
you
know
the
last
year.
So
this
idea
that
things
that
has
not
worked
other
places
are
going
to
work
here,
because
Massachusetts
is
right
to
shelter.
Brings
me
a
lot
of
concern
because
you
know
right
to
shelter
is
on
paper.
It's
never
really
happened
in
practice.
All.
F
K
B
B
That's
that's
all
helpful
context
and
I
think
for
the
public.
It
helps
you
understand
what
we're
grappling
with
from
sort
of
all
of
the
legal
constitutional
issues
that
are
sort
of
at
play
here,
but
councilor
Durkin
has
joined
us
I'm
going
to
go
to
counselor,
Durkin
and
then
I
don't
know.
If
you
all
have
closing
statements,
I
offer
you
the
same.
B
B
D
D
So
there
is
a
system
that
tracks
beds
and
yeah.
Sometimes
it's
not.
You
know
in
real
time,
because
people
are
human
and
just
catching
up,
but
you
know
all
shelters,
30
treatment
facilities
or
you
know
whether
it
be
low
threshold.
They
have
one
software,
one
system
that
they
actually
use
to
update,
so
a
hospital
or
a
doctor
or
a
caseworker
would
be
able
to
call
in
if
they
don't
have
access
to
find
out.
D
The
other
thing
is
that
with
Lisbon
Portugal,
like
the
reason
why
I
encourage
us
to
construct
contextualize
in
terms
of
the
issue
here
in
the
United
States,
it's
because
Lisbon
Portugal
has
not
seen
fentanyl
to
the
to
the
degree
that
we've
seen
it,
and
so
that's
one
thing
to
consider.
But
the
other
thing
too
is
that
their
issue
is
much
much
much
larger,
and
so
they
looked
into
alternative
medicine.
Universal
Health
Care
is
a
big
factor
right
so
and
the
other.
D
The
other
thing
that
I
thought
was
pretty
cool
is
that
they
have
a
direct
job
training
like
farming
and
different
programs
that
you
go
into
and
that's
that
part
of
your
long
treatment.
So
the
alternative,
Pro,
the
alternative,
medicine
or
programming
that
we
know
is
sometimes
more
effective
than
psychotropics
than
we
want
to
encourage
that
right,
like
so
Reiki
and
therapeutic
services
or
physical,
physical,
physical
exercise
or
those
things
that
I'm
encouraging.
We
actually
did
a
study
by
we
I
mean
my
office
in
northeastern.
D
Something
like
that
and
so
I
think
that
we're
not
looking
at
quality
so
I
would
incur
I
would
continue
to
Advocate
I'm
going
to
continue
to
Advocate
to
build
more
quality
facility
abilities
in
terms
of
long-term
treatment,
because
one
of
the
discouraging
factors
as
the
doctor
today
and
attorney
Martinez
is
mentioning-
is
that
you
know
okay,
so
I
received
treatment.
Now,
what
or
so
I
I'm
here
I'm
ready
I
want
this,
but
then
there's
no
housing
available
and
it's
so
much
easier
for
me
to
go
back
to
that
and
psychologically.
D
Oh,
my
God,
damaging
right
and
viscerally
with
friends
and
people
that
are
in
treatment.
Maybe
you
have
someone
who's
recovered,
but
you're
almost
there,
and
then
that
has
an
impact.
So
this
this
Perpetual
cycle,
cyclical
effect
in
friends
and
Community
I,
think
that's
why
we're
encouraging
decentralization
with
any
services.
But
it's
that's
what
makes
it
so
complex
and
so
challenging
so
I
think.
That's
why
I
reserve
judgment
and
on
all
levels
I!
Thank
you
for
your
service
and
hopefully
we
can
continue
to
work
on
this.
B
Thank
you,
you
know,
I
will
close
here,
I'll,
give
you
an
opportunity
to
close
I
think
we
have
folks
online,
but
I
just
think
all
the
time
about
not
confusing
motion
with
movement.
You
know
the
rocking
chair
effect.
It's
moving,
but
it's
not
in
motion
and
I
want
to
make
sure
that,
if
we're
putting
things
forward
that
have
the
kinds
of
long-term
consequences
on
individuals
lives
that
we
are
doing
our
due
diligence
on
what
those
actual
impacts
are,
and
so
you
know
that's
why
this
hearing
went
so
long.
B
I
think
there
was
a
lot
of
questions.
A
lot
of
good
questions
from
my
colleagues
I'm
grateful
for
them
in
the
public.
I
want
to
give
you
all
the
same
opportunity.
I
gave
the
administration.
If
you
have
closing
statements,
but
I
know
that
I
think
it's
Dr
germanis
has
had
her
hand
up
online.
So
if
you
want
to
give
a
closing
statement
or
address
some
aspect
of
this,
but
I
want
to
give
all
of
you
an
opportunity,
you
don't
have
to
take
it.
A
I've
been
also
intimately
involved
in
the
conversations
about
the
New
immigrant
arrivals
and
the
him,
and
the
way
that
that
interacts
with
our
ongoing
housing
crisis
and
just
wanted
to
share
some
numbers
from
the
most
recent
update
actually
from
the
state
Administration
on
this.
So
you
know
in
January
2023
there
were
3
800
families
estimated
who
had
arrived
by
August.
A
It
was
more
like
6,
100
families,
there's
not
any
evidence
that
it's
slowing
down
the
projection
was
that
there
would
be
the
7
500
families
by
October
2023,
and
there
are
emergency
shelter
sites
that
have
been
set
up
all
around
the
Commonwealth.
But
just
to
kind
of
imagine
that
there
is
this
untapped
housing
pool.
A
You
know,
there's
there's
a
lot
of
people
that
we
need
to
try
and
help
place
in
those
housing
pools,
and
you
know,
as
somebody
that's
been
trying
to
work
with
folks
in
that
system.
Of
course,
as
you
get
further
and
further
out
in
different
parts
of
the
state,
you
end
up
with
people
that
have
difficulty
accessing
medical
care,
that
their
insurance
covers,
difficulty
accessing,
Medical,
Care
in
their
language
and,
and
so
it
ends
up.
A
You
know
like
people
are
sort
of
like
a
fish
out
of
water
and
and
just
you
know
not
not
able
to
access
case
management,
that's
able
to
help
them
get
all
of
the
services
that
they
need.
So
just
you
know,
there's
there's
just
imagining
that
we
I
just
think
that
we
need
to
kind
of
come
back
and
realize
that
at
the
root
of
this
really
is
our
our
affordable
housing
crisis,
and
we
have
to
have
a
serious
solution
to
that.
A
M
Oh
sorry,
I'll
be
really
fast.
I
just
wanted
to
just
continue
to
reiterate
that,
especially
just
highlighting
the
fact
that
Mental
Health
Providers
there's
a
huge
shortage,
there's
a
huge
need,
so
there's
an
opportunity
for
the
city
and
the
state
to
really
jump
in
and
intervene
and
address
these
issues
to
get
their
appropriate
providers
in
there
so
that
we
can
reduce
wait
times
and
we
can
reduce
any
other
potential
barriers
that
are
keeping
people
from
accessing
the
care
that
they
need.
M
So
just
really
want
to
drive
that
in
and
as
so
many
people
have
already
mentioned,
also
just
making
sure
that
we
understand
that
the
root
cause
issue
here
is
the
pricing
the
cost
of
living
in
the
city
of
Boston.
It's
Drive,
many
people
away
from
the
city
I'm
born
and
raised
in
Boston
I
can
no
longer
afford
to
live
in
Boston.
M
So
it
really
is
the
root
issue,
and
so,
if
the
city
wants
to
take
this
issue
really
serious
and
create
sort
of
like
a
holistic
approach
on
this,
we
have
to
address
that
issue
in
terms
of
affordability
and
creating
this,
you
know
a
long-term
solution
that
isn't
just
a
Band-Aid
approaching
these
sweeping
programs
that
we
have
been
proven
time
and
time
again.
All
these
professionals
have
spoke
on
it.
It's
just
been
ineffective.
I
B
I
Thank
you
so
much
for
the
opportunity.
Councilman
Arroyo
I
will
say
that
I
love
everything
about
the
plan,
except
for
the
tent
removal
part.
So
what
the
BPH
is
planning
in
terms
of
building
out
more
of
these
low
threshold
harm
reduction,
housing
sites
like
roundhouse
that
did
work
and
given
more
time,
would
have
put
a
lot
more
people
into
housing
and
gotten
them
into
treatment.
That
is
the
way
to
go
so
that
piece
of
the
plan
I
think,
should
move
forward.
I
It's
just
a
tent
removal,
part
that
removes
all
the
safety
and
Community
that's
there
and
disrupts
people's
lives
is
what
is
not
really
acceptable.
The
other
thing
I'll
say
is
that
this
we
talk
about
fentanyl,
changing
with
the
overdose
death
rates,
which
is
absolutely
true.
It's
killing
more
people
but
fentanyl
is,
is
a
much
worse
drug
and
it's
causing
a
lot
of
the
problems
that
we're
talking
about.
It's
a
much
shorter,
lasting
drug.
So
if
it
wears
off
and
people
need
to
use
much
more
often
to
Stave
off
withdrawal
effects
where
they're
very,
very
sick.
I
So
when
people
don't
want
to
stay
in
shelter
overnight
and
all
these
things
that
we
don't
like
that,
the
reason
that
they're
staying
together
outside
using
more
frequently
it's
not
their
fault,
the
supply
has
changed
from
underneath
their
feet.
So
I
just
want
us
to
Grant
people,
the
dignity
and
forgiveness
in
the
face
of
something
that
they're
dealing
with,
which
is
a
severe
you
know,
addiction
that
is
which
a
lot
of
which
factors
are
not
under
the
control,
so
just
giving
people
the
dignity
that
they
deserve
given
their
struggles.
E
E
You
know,
while
I
disagree,
adamantly
with
the
wood
administration's
approach
on
this
I,
don't
with
a
lot
of
what
they're
trying
to
do
with
affordable
housing
to
address
this
crisis,
I
work
with
Chief
Dylan
and
a
whole
host
of
issues
in
my
job
to
address
the
affordability
crisis
and
protect
tenants
in
Boston
and
throughout
Massachusetts,
and
so
I
think
that
that
is
key
to
solving
this
crisis.
They're,
not
separate
things.
E
There
are
too
many
things
left
open
to
question
and
too
many
things
that
we
don't
know
how
they're
actually
going
to
operate
to
ever
be
able
to
say
that
this
is
going
to
adequate
adequately
address
the
complex
issues
that
are
here,
and
the
last
thing
that'll
say
is
the
reason
why
that's
in
particular
dangerous
is.
We
won't
know
until
it
is
too
late.
B
B
I
want
to
make
sure
that
I
give
you
the
time
that
you
need
to
speak
and
I'm
going
to
do
it
in
the
order
in
which
you
signed
up,
and
so
what
we
can
do
here
is
I
will
I
will
name
one
individual
and
then
who's
next,
and
then
that
person
can
go
to
either
the
left
or
the
right
and
once
one
is
done,
we'll
name
the
next
two
and
then
we'll
be
able
to
move
it.
That
way,
please
state
your
name.
B
If
you
are
speaking
on
behalf
of
yourself,
that's
all
you
have
to
do
if
you
are
speaking
on
behalf
in
organization,
just
please
name.
The
organization
that
you
are
speaking
on
behalf
of
and
I
will
give
you
three
minutes,
but
if
you're
a
little
bit
over
that
I'm
not
going
to
just
cut
you
right
off,
but
if
we
hit
you
know
five
six
seven
minutes,
then
I'm
I'm,
probably
gonna,
have
to
cut
you
off,
and
so
please
try
to
keep
it
within
that
time.
I'm
gonna
go
down
this
list.
B
Michael
Gray
sure
perfect,
Sue
Sullivan
would
be
next
Caroline
Dunlap
John
Luke
Jeff.
Let
me
just
make
sure
Jeff.
Is
it
parente
yep
it
one
two
one
two
so
I'll
give
you
right
now
how
that
should
be
Stephanie
Sullivan
and
one
Michael
K
Michael
Gray's
number
two,
so
you
should
be
set
up
over
there.
Sue
Sullivan
is
three,
so
you
can
stay
there
and
then
we'll
keep
this
at
just
four
Folks
up.
Caroline
Dunlap
is
she
here.
Then
it
is
John
Michael.
N
Good
afternoon,
thank
you,
committee,
chair
Arroyo
and
members
of
this
committee
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
with
you
today.
My
name
is
Stephanie
Sullivan
and
I'm,
the
chief
executive
officer
officer
of
Boston
healthcare
for
the
homeless
program
located
directly
in
the
intersection
of
Massachusetts
Avenue
and
melnia
Cass
Boulevard.
N
N
The
mission
of
Boston
healthcare
for
the
homeless
is
to
ensure
unconditionally
Equitable
and
dignified
access
to
the
highest
quality
health
care
for
all
individuals
and
families
experiencing
homelessness
in
our
community
from
the
main
Clinic
location
on
Albany
Street.
Our
Outreach
teams
depart
each
day
alongside
Outreach
workers
from
the
city
to
offer
Specialized
Care
to
the
people
staying
on
Atkinson
Street
and
in
other
sites
where
our
drug
use
and
overdoses
are
prevalent.
N
Our
medical
Outreach
teams
offer
the
care
that
is
most
needed
in
the
moment.
Sometimes
that
means
providing
someone
on
the
street
naloxone,
so
they
are
prepared
to
reverse
a
friend's
overdose.
It
can
mean
bringing
HIV
prevention
and
treatment
services
directly
to
the
street,
so
no
one
else
misses
a
dose
of
life-saving
medication.
It
can
mean
offering
connections
to
therapy
or
addiction
treatment,
giving
a
vaccination
or
providing
wound
care
or
other
Primary
Care
Services.
These
vital
Services
keep
people
alive
and
provide
a
basic
scaffolding
when
no
so
many
other
supports
in
the
lives
have
fallen
away.
N
These
Outreach
Services
have
also
played
a
critical
role
in
mitigating
the
recent
HIV
outbreak
among
homeless
people
who
use
drugs
in
Boston
prior
to
2019.
We
were
seeing
Zero
to
two
new
diagnoses
of
HIV
each
year,
but
in
2021
alone
over
60
new
cases
were
detected
with
some
of
those
diagnosed
by
us
directly
and
others
referred
by
our
partners.
We
immediately
expanded
our
harm
reduction
and
HIV
treatment.
N
Outreach
work,
including
providing
both
pre-exposure
prophylaxis
to
prevent
transmission
and
directly
observe
therapy
for
people
diagnosed
with
HIV
and
were
able
to
bring
the
new
cases
down
to
20
cases
the
following
year
and
finally,
just
four
cases
so
far
this
year.
This
Outreach
work
is
critical.
We
recognize
the
safety
concerns
around
and
on
Atkinson.
Street
are
significant
to
say
the
least,
and
we
have
been
forced
to
make
some
very
difficult
decisions
in
recent
months
about
whether
to
deploy
our
staff
to
the
area
or
find
alternate
locations
for
Service
delivery.
N
We
recognize
the
impact
of
such
decisions
on
our
patients
has
been
profound,
interrupted,
vital
medical
care
for
many
of
them.
There
was
no
sidestepping
the
fact
that
the
dangers
in
this
are
real,
especially
to
those
who
have
nowhere
else
to
go,
but
the
street
it
Bears
repeating
that
people
who
do
not
choose
to
stay
in
these
conditions
without
considering
the
possibility
of
emergency
shelter.
N
It
can
be
difficult
for
many
of
us
to
imagine,
but
there
are
many
reasons
why
someone
would
not
opt
to
remain
under
a
tarp
why
someone
would
opt
to
remain
under
a
tarp
in
the
street
rather
than
seek
out
a
shelter
bed
to
see
this
choice
being
made
over
and
over
again
by
hundreds
of
people
leads
us
to
the
reality
that
our
current
shelter
system
does
not
accommodate
the
needs
of
people
and
Alternate
housing
and
shelter.
Options
are
desperately
needed.
N
The
creation
of
new
low
thresh
held
supporting
housing
units
over
the
past
year
and
a
half
has
been
a
positive
step
in
addressing
this
crisis.
We
strongly
support
the
creation
of
more
of
these
low
threshold
housing
opportunities
for
the
people
staying
at
Madison,
Cass
and
more
urgent
focus
on
permanent
Supportive
Housing
opportunities,
as
well
as
the
city
continues
to
do
the
essential
work
of
connecting
people
to
those
low
thresholds
housing
units.
It
must
also
invest
in
the
clinical
support
services
that
are
necessary
for
improving
Health,
retaining
housing,
preventing
overdose
and
working
toward
recovery.
N
One
of
our
own
clinician
researchers,
Jill,
run
karate
publisher
study
in
2021,
documenting
the
long-term
outcomes
for
over
70
chronically
unsheltered
individuals
who
are
linked
to
Supportive
Housing.
She
and
her
fellow
investigators
found
that
nearly
half
of
the
cohort
died
while
housed
and
housing
retention
was
persistent
challenge.
It's
become
clear
to
us
through
studies,
this
survival
population
requires
consistent,
long-term
clinical
support.
N
We
recommend
the
city
to
consider
how
interventions
that
increase,
how
risk
of
involvement
in
the
criminal
legal
system
can
also
increase
risk
of
Overdose.
Those
related
from
jail
in
Massachusetts
are
120
times
more
likely
to
experience
a
fatal
overdose
than
the
general
population.
According
to
a
2017
report,
people
of
color
have
been
disproportionately
impacted
by
both
the
overdose
and
affordable
housing
crisis
in
recent
years,
and
they
are
arrested
and
convicted
for
drug
offenses
at
higher
rates
than
whites.
N
Incarcerations
have
also
been
shown
to
in
multiple
studies
to
increase
the
risk
of
HIV
and
hepatitis
C
transmission.
We
recommend
the
city
prioritize
interventions
that
may
prevent
incarceration
off
of
stabilizing
supports
and
reduce
recidivism.
This
includes
not
only
overdose
prevention,
centers
and
clinical
supports
in
housing,
but
also
Partnerships
with
legal
advocacy
organizations.
N
O
Good
afternoon
I
Michael
Gray
I'm,
a
Outreach
worker
I'm
a
volunteer,
though
I
used
to
belong
to
a
bunch
of
the
Outreach
groups
in
the
city
and
I
walked
away
from
all
of
them
because
three
of
them,
I
name,
one
person,
was
embezzling
money.
There
was
a
bunch
of
drama
that
I
have
no
interest
in
so
I.
Do
it.
On
my
own
now,
I
represent
a
group
of
people
that
we
go
out
in
the
street.
I
lost
my
best
friend
out
there
there's
a
reason.
O
I'm
out
there
and
I've
been
there
for
10
years,
which
this
the
mile,
which
we
call
it
Marty's
mile,
because
he
created
it.
There's
no.
You
can't
miss
what
he
created
that
damn
place
and
now
we're
left
with
it
and
he
created
Amsterdam
from
The
Wire,
that's
exactly
what
he
created
drugs
illegal
down
there
and
it's
Mayhem.
O
The
one
thing
I'm
a
little
concerned
about
I
haven't
heard
yet
at
all
today,
I've
said
hit
since
10
a.m.
I
haven't
heard
one
person
mention
tranctope
ozylizine,
that's
the
newest
thing
that
it's
not
an
opiate,
but
people
are
taking
it
intentionally,
not
intentionally.
It's
in
the
drug.
Supply-
and
it
is
it's
an
elephant
tranquilizer
worse
than
ketamine
and
people
are
losing
limbs,
the
Skin's
falling
off.
It's
horrific
like
no
one's
ever
seen
before
and
there's
nothing.
You
can
do
about
it.
The
methamphetamines
down
there.
Obviously
knocking,
doesn't
work
on
that.
O
So
people
are
I,
don't
want
to
like
insult
people,
I
describe
and
what
they
go
through
down
there.
But
it's
it's
dehumanizing
they'll
strip,
all
their
clothes
off
I,
don't
want
to
go
into
detail,
it's
awful.
What
it
does
and
everybody
just
stands
really
stands
and
doesn't
do
too
much
about
it.
Ems
comes
down,
they
do
what
they
can.
O
The
one
thing
I
keep
hearing
is
an
unbothered
by
is
compassion
fatigue.
We
deal
with
this
every
day.
What
do
you
expect
us
to
do?
And
that's
not
just
EMS,
it's
some
Boston
police,
some
fire,
some
do
your
job
or
quit
is
what
you're
supposed
to
do
go
on
vacation.
If
you
need
to
Clay
your
head
a
little
bit,
but
you
got
to
treat
people
I've
treated
I've,
not
came
up
with
300
people
personally,
I
have
200
boxes
in
my
car
and
I'm.
O
Just
a
volunteer
I
believe
in
this,
though,
but
when
you're
not
getting
the
same
person
10
times,
you
wonder
if
you
know
you're
prolonging
their
death.
It's
going
to
happen
eventually,
because
there's
no
detox
beds,
the
Shelf
is
a
horrific
I
challenge.
Anybody
to
spend
the
night
in
the
shelter
it's
horrific
people
raped,
beaten
everything
else.
It's
awful
and
I'm,
not
in
recovery,
I've,
never
been
homeless.
O
Thank
God,
I,
just
I'm
done
every
single
day
and
I
experience
it
and
I
try
to
help
people
the
best
I
can
right
now
at
Atkinson,
it's
compressed
into
a
small
area:
Boston
police
and
I'm,
not
faulting
the
police
I'm
just
saying
what's
going
on,
they
have
one
opposite
on
one
end,
one
offset
on
the
other
end,
usually
in
the
car,
with
the
radio
on
and
where
security
is
all
of
a
sudden.
The
police
force
in
the
city
of
Boston
they're
down
there
with
six
or
eight
of
them,
and
they
I
wonder
about
their
jurisdiction.
O
I've
questioned
a
hundred
times
they're
supposed
to
protect
the
shelter
or
whatnot
Atkinson
is
still
a
public
Street
in
the
city
of
Boston.
What
gives
them
the
right
to
patrol
and
act
as
police
officers
down
there?
There
was
a
brawl
one
time
with
15
people
on
a
Sunday
morning.
They
turned
the
radio
up
on
the
PA
system,
which
here
in
the
fight
on
no
cops
anywhere
to
be
found.
O
What
the
hell
is
going
on.
There's
money
that's
allocated
to
this
place
and
it
doesn't
need
to
be
the
way
it
is
I'm
not
even
going
to
take
a
position
on
the
tents,
because
I
do
believe
people
have
rights,
I
don't
want
to
hurt
people,
something
has
to
be
done.
This
place
is
turning
10
years
old
and
people
are
dying
at
last
year.
The
winter
is
coming
last
year,
I
think
of
one
woman,
I
thought
I
found
a
woman
frozen
to
death
and
there's
nothing.
O
O
The
way
it
is
and
I
get
emotional
I
get
choked
up
about
this
I'm
willing
to
give
anyone
who's
the
council,
as
my
phone
number
and
I'd
love
to
sit
down
and
have
a
cup
of
coffee
with
you
and
share
my
experiences
with
you,
because
it
would
take
an
hour
to
talk
about
it,
but
I'll
leave
mine
up
it
today,
and
anybody
that
wants
to
take
me
up
on
a
please
do
and
I'd
like
to
follow
up
on
it
and
help
people
together.
Thank
you.
Thank.
B
L
Hi,
yes,
Sue
Sullivan
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
the
new
market,
business
improvement,
district
and
just
for
background.
I
represent
650
properties
down
there.
Twenty
thousand
employees,
but
I
am
also
we.
We
run
a
program,
a
back
to
work
program
for
those
on
the
street.
Down
there
we've
in
the
last
two
years.
We
have
helped
115
individuals,
two-thirds
of
whom
are
in
recovery,
the
other
third
of
whom
are
working
their
way.
L
There
we
hire
them,
we
get
them,
we
help
them
get
their
IDs,
we
help
them
clear
warrants
and
we
help
them
get
to
better
places
and
jobs
and
over
40
of
them
have
gotten
jobs,
full-time
jobs
at
other
places
and
we're
on
the
street
every
single
day,
three
hours
in
the
morning,
I'm
down
there
with
our
workers
with
other
workers
of
ours,
and
what
I
will
tell
you
is
this-
has
to
stop
okay.
What
I
was
hearing
today
and
everybody
is
looking
at
it
from
this
high
level.
L
Okay
and
I
welcome
anybody
who
wants
to
come
down
and
be
on
the
streets
with
us
to
see.
What's
going
on,
those
tents
have
to
go.
Okay,
I!
Don't
care
what
anybody
says
about
that?
We
can
arrest
other
people,
we
can
rest
people
who
aren't
intense.
We
can
arrest
this
or
that,
but
like
Michael
before
me,
I
have
found
people
dead
in
these
tents.
L
I
have
talked
to
a
woman
who
wasn't
allowed
out
of
a
tent
for
three
days,
because
a
guy
was
pimping
her
out
in
there.
Okay
and
that's
just
the
tip
of
the
iceberg.
There
are
drugs,
there
are
people,
the
drug
dealers
are
down
there
and
they're
in
the
tents
people
in
and
out
of
the
tents
officers
can't
see
them
in
there
they
come
in,
they
go
in,
they
do
their
business,
they
come
out,
everybody
knows
it.
I
can
tell
you
who
it
is,
but
they
can't
arrest
them.
L
Okay,
we
need
those
tents
down,
I,
don't
care
I'm,
not
going
to
tell
you
how
to
vote
I'm
just
going
to
tell
you
they
have
to
be
out
of
there
and
one
of
the
biggest
one
of
the
most
important
things
here.
Is
that
but
people
weren't
getting
in
the
city's
plan
is
that
they're
talking
about
the
60
70
80
people
that
need
housing?
Okay!
This
is
those
are
the
people
that
actually
need
somewhere
to
be
the
ones
that
you
know
are
two
people
or
they
have
mental
illness
and
they
need
something
everybody
else
down.
L
There
is
there
for
the
party
and
you
think
I'm
wrong.
Okay,
you
may
you
may
disagree
with
me,
but
if
you
come
down
and
you're
down
there
on
the
streets
with
us,
you
know
I
know
every
one
of
them
by
name.
I
can
tell
you.
There
are
30
or
40
people
that
have
housing
that
just
come
down
there,
because
someone
said
it's
a
community,
you
know
and
and
they
can
do
their
drugs
and
they
can
be
all
part
of
everything.
L
Now
I
don't
agree
with
where
the
safe
space
is
where
they
want
to
put
it
I
think
putting
it
on
massive,
similar
to
The
Roundhouse
when
there
were
no
there's
so
they're
so
close
to
the
dealers
and
all
it's
the
wrong
place
to
do
it.
I.
Actually,
personally
think
it
should
be
the
engagement
Center,
where
they
were
serious,
where,
where
there
had
been
ability,
there
were
already
Services
there
I'm
going
to
ask
for
additional
time.
L
What
we're
saying
is
that
the
depravity
that's
down
there,
that
is
I
mean
it
might
call
a
minute
ago,
talked
about
the
new
drug
and
all
on
the
street
and
all
I
watched
a
woman
this
summer
lose
her
leg
to
it.
I've
watched
a
number
of
people
who
are
close
to
that
they're
losing
Limbs
and
all
because
of
the
new
drugs
and
all
that
are
down
there.
L
L
We
need
a
plan
that
helps
the
people
on
the
street
today
and
protects
our
neighborhoods
from
the
dealers
and
the
Predators
as
well.
Okay,
the
framework
for
this
has
been
put
out
by
the
community
recover
Boston
a
plan
we
put
out.
We
talk
about
tiny
houses
today.
This
was
using
tiny
houses
for
the
next
three
to
four
years
to
create
to
to
create
a
solution.
Now
these
could
be
built
built
in
the
next
few
months
and
move
forward,
but
I
haven't
heard
one
person
here
today,
even
reference
the
plan,
and
everyone
knows
it's
out
there.
L
I
am
more
than
happy
to
explain
or
come
before
the
council
and
really
dig
in
on
this,
because
it
is
using
tiny
houses
for
Recovery
campus
for
the
next
four
years.
So
I'm
going
to
ask
that
our
mayor
and
this
Council
actually
take
a
really
good
look
at
that,
because
we
do
need
recovery,
we
we
do
need
recovery
beds
every
day.
We
need
more
recovery
beds
and
we
need
to
get
people
into
recovery
and
housing.
Thank
you.
Thank.
P
Q
What
we
say
is
anecdotes,
but
the
real
life,
the
real
life
cases
that
walk
through
our
doors,
people
that
lose
family
members
to
the
opioid
addiction
crisis,
women,
women
that
are
trafficked
families
that
are
that
are
broken
up
and
are
dealing
with
family
court
issues.
So
it's
a
lot
that
we
that
a
lot
that
we
deal
with
and
I
want
to
just
uplift.
Q
So
somebody
sold
the
mayor
on
the
idea
that
that
bridge
needed
to
be
built,
despite
the
fact
that
she
argued
against
it
within
the
on
the
final
election,
but
going
from
that
first
Long
Island
Tour
to
the
last
Long
Island
Tour,
which
happened
on
August
23rd
2023,
when
there
was
announced
plans
to
rebuild
the
bridge
and
the
recovery
campus
a
week
before
we
got
this.
This
ordinance
that
we're
all
talking
about
here,
Carrie
Griffin,
the
director
of
public
facilities,
said
on
that
date,
the
long-term
campus.
First,
we
need
the
vision.
Q
An
opportunity
zone
is
a
designated
geographic
area
in
which
individuals
can
gain
favorable
tax
treatment
on
their
capital
gains
by
investing
those
funds
through
a
privately
created
opportunity
fund
into
economic
activities
in
the
area.
So
you
know
long-term
Vision.
What
are
the
facts?
What
are
the
figures?
What
is
the
vision
for
this
Long
Long
Island
recovery,
campus
and
Beyond
the
10
years?
It
would
take
to
actually
get
the
permanent
exclusion
on
capital
gains
and
then
what
are
the
vision
for?
Q
What
is
the
vision
for
the
neighborhoods
that
are
abutting
mass
and
casts
within
Roxbury,
because
they're
they're
part
of
this
opportunity,
Zone
scheme
as
well?
So
these
are
the
questions
that
that
we're
asking
that
actually
affect
all
of
all
of
Boston,
but
there
are
absolutely
issues
that
are
very
particular
to
indigenous
people
and
very
sensitive
to
our
community,
and
that's
why
we
oppose
this.
Docket
and
I
have
15
copies
of
written
testimony
right
here.
So
thank.
B
B
Alex
Winston
and
Joe
Peters
Perfect,
all
right,
so
we'll
do
it
four
at
a
time.
That's
four
right
there
we'll
start
with
Mr
Acevedo,
then
Mr
hanrock
and
then
we'll
go
in
that
order
just
name
an
organization.
If
you
represent
an
organization,
my
timer
is
for
three
minutes:
I'm,
not
gonna.
Stop
you
right
when
it
goes
off
as
you've
seen,
but
please
try
to
be
mindful.
Thank
you.
K
An
executive
minister
of
Miracle
Mile
Ministries,
a
collaborative
of
churches
that
for
the
last
10
years,
has
been
devoted
to
a
sustained,
deliberate
strategic
response:
volunteers,
nutrition,
clothing,
love,
Etc
to
mass
and
cast
the
area.
We
call
Miracle
Mile
with
the
AIM
of
channeling
the
power
of
God
to
transform
methadone
mile
into
Miracle
Mile
One
Soul.
At
a
time.
Oh
okay,
a
soul
like
Ben.
K
In
the
course
of
this
ministry,
I've
walked
Atkinson
Street
hundreds
of
times
with
our
Miracle
Mile
team.
Looking
for
one
soul
who
is
open
to
prayer
in
a
different
way.
One
morning
last
July
the
Lord
led
us
to
Bent,
as
I
typically
do
I
knelt
beside
him
on
the
asphalt
where
he
was
sitting
and
asked
Ben.
If
he'd
like
me
to
pray
for
him,
it
was
as
if
Ben
was
waiting
for
me
and
Ben
began
to
open
his
heart,
sharing
that
nightmare.
K
K
You
don't
belong
here,
get
out
of
here,
the
guy
on
the
stool
had
in
his
fist
about
a
dozen
syringes
pre-loaded
with
some
poison
heroin
or
fentanyl
I
would
guess
and
countless
more
syringes
in
his
open
bag
after
20
years
of
ministry,
I
recognize
that
voice
and
its
source
and
I
told
that
voice
that
I
would
leave
only
after
I
prayed
for
Ben
and
we
did
20
minutes
later.
Ben
walked
into
our
breakfast
and
the
fellowship
hall
of
line
and
Judah
and
I
blessed
God
and
rejoiced
to
see
him
One
Soul.
K
K
K
R
R
These
units
will
become
embedded
in
this
area
and
provide
more
integrated
services
with
specially
trained
and
less
threatening
unarmed
crews
in
situations
that
include
Crisis,
Intervention,
Behavioral,
Health,
Care,
chronic
and
urgent
medical
issues,
housing,
emergency
and
substance
use
disorder
care.
They
will
be
staffed
by
an
EMT
paramedic,
a
clinical
social
worker
in
an
addiction
medicine
provider
Mickeys
will
be
capable
of
providing
on
the
spot
to
Block's
own
medication
for
those
Afflicted
with
opiates
disorders.
R
Additionally,
they
were
arranged
transport
to
a
medication,
assisted
treatment,
program
for
follow-up
care
or
direct
transport
to
a
detox
facility
for
evaluation
treatment
and
admission.
Suboxone
is
an
effective
medication
that
binds
the
opioid
receptors
in
the
brain
and
helps
prevent
opiate
withdrawal
symptoms
as
well
as
triggers
for
relapse
when
taken
as
prescribed.
It
has
been
instrumental
in
preventing
illness,
behaviors
overdoses,
hep,
C
and
HIV.
R
Synthetic
methamphetamine
is
known
to
cause
psychosis,
violent,
behaviors
homelessness
and
often
we're
in
this
chronic
uses
incapable
of
recognizing
how
ill
they
truly
are
to
promote
pervasiveness
of
these
toxic
drugs.
In
this
area
requires
a
bowl
of
therapeutic
strategy
prevent
further
sufferings
and
debts
for
those
Afflicted
individuals
reluctant
to
receive
addiction
care
from
the
Miku
team.
B
S
S
I
really
consider
myself
to
be
a
Bostonian
I'm,
proud
to
be
a
Bostonian
I've
worked
in
the
addiction
field
for
oh
15
years
and
I'm
grateful
to
say
that
I
have
25
years
of
personal
experience
and
Recovery
in
the
Boston
area,
and
so
I
know
about
what's
going
on
down
in
Melinda,
caspel
and
Molina
in
Southampton,
Street
and
Lolita
Cass
and
first
of
all,
it's
not
a
Boston
thing.
This
was
going
on
in
every
city
in
the
country,
New
York,
Chicago,
Dallas,
Austin,
La,
San
Francisco.
S
It's
not
a
South
Boston
thing:
it's
not
a
Roxbury
thing:
it's
not
a
black
thing.
It's
not
a
white
thing.
It's
a
human
thing
to
human
beings
out
there.
The
people
that
are
living
in
those
tents
are
people's
children,
their
sons,
daughters,
brothers,
sisters,
people's
parents,
and
you
know,
as
a
person
from
Boston
that
that's
proud
to
be
a
Bostonian
I
drive
by
there
and
I'm
embarrassed
I'm
embarrassed,
I,
see
them.
I
drive
by,
and
people
are
living
like
animals.
S
S
Their
lives
are
pretty
disrupted
right
now,
their
lives
are
as
disrupted
as
the
as
it
could
be.
It
couldn't
get
any
more
disruptive
for
them
living
like
that,
going
to
sleep
at
night
trying
to
find
something
to
eat.
Unshowered,
I'm
wearing
the
clothes
they've
been
wearing
for
the
past.
However
long
so
that's
a
pretty
good
I
think
we
I
think
they
should
be
disrupted.
I
think
we
should
disrupt
their
lives
as
opposed
to
just
watching
it
and
okay,
it's
okay.
At
accepting
it
there's
also
talking
about
dignity.
S
S
You
know
and
and
there's
also
an
element
of
forcing
them.
You
know
forceful,
it
can
we
force
someone
into
recovery,
I
actually
know
a
lot
of
people
that
have
been
sectioned
and
it
saved
their
lives.
I.
Don't
think
that
these
people
on
Molina,
Cass
Boulevard,
are
going
to
wake
up
tomorrow
morning
and
say
I
need
some
help.
Today's
a
day,
I
want
to
get
help.
That's
not
going
to
happen.
If
we
do.
S
If
we
don't
do
anything,
this
will
stay
the
same
for
year
after
year,
after
just
as
it
has,
and
and
and
to
be
honest
with
you,
if
my
daughter
was
there,
I
would
if
she,
if
she
was
18
years
old
and
she
was
living
in
a
tent
there
and
I
got
a
phone
call.
In
the
morning
from
the
Boston
police
saying
hey,
we
took
your
daughter
out
of
this
tent.
We
removed
her
from
the
tent
and
she's.
Not
a
district.
S
Four
in
a
police
cell
I
would
go
over
there
and
give
those
police
officers
a
hug
and
say
thank
you.
Thank
you
for
taking
my
18
year
old
daughter
out
of
that
that
situation
and
putting
her
someplace
safe,
even
though
it's
a
jail
cell
she's,
safe,
so
I
think
that
by
taking
them
out
the
only
problem
I
have
with
it
the
only
problem.
The
only
thing
that's
missing
that
I
didn't
hear
anything
about,
is
detox
to
take
someone
out
of
a
situation
like
that
and
put
it
put
them
into
housing.
S
It's
not
going
to
work!
That's
why
people
overdose!
They
get
out
two
three
days
and
they're
they're
withdrawing.
They
need
the
drug,
they
need
the
drug
and
they
need
it
so
bad
that
when
they
get
it,
they
just
go
bang
and
they
overdose,
so
that
detox
that
60
days
so
rather
than
police
officers
wondering
how
many
beds
are
available
at
the
at
the
shelters.
S
Give
them
some
dignity
by
by
showering
them
giving
them
a
haircut,
give
them
a
toothbrush,
giving
them
a
hot
meal
and
giving
them
some
clothes.
So
then
they
can
like
have
some
dignity
and
then
do
something
to
work.
But
the
detox
is
going
to
be
the
most
important
thing
for
this
to
work
and
if
I
was
working,
if
I
was
the
mayor,
I
would
do
anything.
I
could
do
to
get
that
Long
Island
Bridge,
built
I,
would
do
anything.
They're
building
I
live
in
the
seaport.
S
T
It
is
actually
that
you
give
them
housing
and
provide
them
with
the
resources
to
improve
their
lives.
Like
that's
the
thing
that
works,
that's
the
thing
that
is
becoming
increasingly
apparent
and
like
that's
the
thing
that
we
need
to
focus
on
like
doing
more
sweeps
or
if
you
want
to
call
them
mops
or
whatever,
like
it.
It's
not
going
to
help
it's
just
going
to
make
things
worse.
You
can't
make
things
better
by
making
things
worse
and
that's
all
I
wanted
to
say.
B
U
Awesome,
thank
you
Mr
chairman,
thank
you
to
the
city
councilors
for
their
time
and
dedication
on
this
matter.
Thank
you
to
the
panelists.
My
name
is
Neil
O'brien
I'm
representative
of
SEIU
Local
888,
which
is
the
service
employees
International
Union
Local
888
is
the
city
of
Boston
Workers
Union,
representing
the
highest
number
of
Civilian
workers
of
employees
in
the
city
of
Boston
within
the
city
of
Boston
I
work
alongside
president
Thomas
McKeever
who's.
Currently,
the
president
of
local
888
who's
worked
relentlessly
down
the
Madison
Cass
area
because
we
represent
Outreach
workers
in
this
location.
U
U
These
Outreach
workers
are
brought
a
brave
and
they're
proud
when
we
see
them
in
the
street,
which
is
often
they
say
to
us,
proudly
that
we
have
not
lost
a
single
client
or
I've
lost
only
one
client,
that's
how
they
open
up
and
what
they
lead
with
they're
very
proud
about
what
they
do.
We
see
that
the
bphc
has
somewhat
withdrawn
workers
from
the
engagement
Center
area
on
Atkinson
and
Topeka,
due
to
violence
that
we
all
know
that
the
tents
down
there
have
have
weapons
guns,
knives,
machetes,
there's,
criminal
activity,
I
I.
U
U
For
that
person
who
gave
them
the
free
drugs
and
they're
paying
rent
for
the
tent,
as
reported
to
us
to
our
workers,
who
walk
this
population
all
day
every
day,
the
majority
of
the
of
the
homeless
in
that
area
seem
that
they
don't
they're
not
from
Boston
I'm,
a
native
of
Boston
and
that
they
don't
come
from
here.
They
don't
live
down
here,
but
our
work
is
a
charge
with
walking
this
population
24
7..
They
literally
a
shoulder
to
shoulder
walking
throughout
this
population
and
the
only
relative
comparative
analysis
that
I
can
give.
U
U
Sometimes
change
is
good.
Sometimes
change
is
bad.
Local
888
supports
efforts
to
improve
the
safety
of
the
area
and
reduce
the
traffic
along
Atkinson
and
Topeka.
The
the
open
air
drug
Market
has
been
there
for
a
decade
approximately
we're
in
favor
of
a
relative
dismantling
of
the
area.
It's
we
believe
it's
necessary
local,
888,
SEIU
Local
Aid
supports
meowul's
ordinance
in
order
to
address
this
effort,
because
this
is
not
about
politics
to
us.
This
is
about
people.
B
B
V
W
It's
easy
to
forget
now,
but
tents
were
not
always
an
issue
at
mass
and
Cass.
Although
the
neighborhoods
problems
stretch
back
to
2014,
we
first
saw
tents
appear
in
2021..
In
June
of
that
year,
seven
tenths
went
up,
the
city
was
not
prepared
to
remove
them.
The
next
month
the
tents
multiplied
to
50..
W
They
were
at
100
in
August
and
by
October
of
2021.
There
were
more
than
170
tents.
All
over
the
neighborhood
we
watched
people
die
in
those
tents
and
in
the
streets
around
them.
We
watched
the
tents
Catch
Fire
night
after
night.
Through
the
winter
we
watched
human
refuse,
infestations
and
disease
pile
up
as
everybody
housed
and
unhoused
became
less
and
less
safe.
W
On
January
12
2022
mayor
Wu
made
the
Bold
choice
to
remove
every
single
one
of
those
tents
and
place
every
single
person
living
in
them
into
better
shelter
and
I'll.
Note
for
you,
Mr
chairman,
that
that
is
an
example
of
a
tent
removal
operation
where
overdose
deaths
went
down.
They
went
up
for
that
year
in
Massachusetts
at
large,
after
the
tents
were
removed,
they
went
down
in
the
city
of
Boston,
but,
as
the
months
went
on,
more
individuals
continued
to
appear
on
the
streets.
W
We
have
talked
to
and
worked
with,
many
of
them,
hundreds
of
them
and
they'll
all
tell
you
it's
because
they
know
that
mass
and
Cass
is
a
place
where
they're
allowed
to
do
anything.
They
want
it's
not
a
secret
to
anybody
who
has
spent
time
down
there.
Even
those
who
were
given
Shelter
by
the
city
often
return
to
the
street
every
day
to
participate
in
the
drug
trade
and,
as
time
went
on,
the
tents
were
bit
by
bit
allowed
to
come
back.
W
Against
this
backdrop,
businesses
are
going
under,
and
residents
are
being
forced
out
of
their
homes
because
of
the
constantly
degrading
safety
conditions
in
the
area.
The
Greater
Boston
food
bank,
which
is
on
the
same
street,
the
very
same
street
as
70
to
100
tenths
at
this
very
moment,
has
spent
over
one
million
dollars
on
security
that
should
be
going
that
they
should
be
free
to
spend
on
feeding
the
people
of
the
Commonwealth.
W
These
conditions
that
are
literally
killing
people
in
the
streets
are
also
figuratively
killing
the
communities
that
these
streets
belong
to,
as
we
saw
in
January
of
last
year.
Removing
the
tents
is
a
great
first
step,
but
the
city
never
took
the
Second
Step.
If
we
intend
to
do
this
tent
removal
song
and
dance
again,
then
we
have
to
have
the
follow-up
as
well.
The
tents
will
be
back
before
we
know
it
unless
we
commit
to
ending
the
open-air
drug
trade
as
well,
two
sentences
yep.
W
X
Yes,
Brian
McCarter,
I'm
I'm,
nobody
special
I,
don't
represent
any
organization.
I've
just
been
on
Harrison
Ave
for
a
number
of
years.
I've
had
property
there,
since
2011.
and
I've
watched
this
unfold
through
multiple
administrations
and
I
have
to
applaud
the
city
for
attempting
at
least
to
try
to
address
the
situation.
X
The
problem
is
this
plan
doesn't
work
to
quote
Cunningham's
law.
The
best
way
to
get
the
right
answer
on
the
Internet
is
to
post
the
wrong
answer.
This
plan
appears
to
be
dead
on
arrival
as
written
a
lot
of
hard-working
people
probably
put
their
effort
into
this,
but
it
doesn't
work.
It
doesn't
have
the
buy-in
of
the
community.
It
doesn't
have
the
buy-in
of
the
medical
professionals
it
doesn't
have.
It
isn't
supported
I'm,
going
to
want
a
limb
and
say
that
at
this
point
we
are
trying
to
find
a
better
solution.
X
Everyone
here
is
passionate
about
this
issue
and
wants
to
see
A
Better,
Way
Forward
I,
just
a
normal
guy
I'm,
not
a
health
professional.
Why
is
the
wadette
circle
plan
being
ignored
to
me?
It
looks
like
you
have
BPD
on
one
end,
you
got
one
way
in
you
got
one
way
out
BPD
on
one
end:
in
the
middle
you
get
Healthcare
professionals
and
on
the
end,
you
have
public
housing.
Services,
helping
people
find
a
place
to
live
once
they've
started
to
be
clean,
and
then
you
basically
have
formed
a
wall
around
it.
X
You
don't
have
to
have
mobile
units
searching
for
these
people
oding
the
Alleyways,
whoever
wrote
this
plan
has
not
been
to
the
south
end.
All
it
is
is
Alleyways
for
people
to
hide
in
and
die
in.
So
when
you,
if
you're
going
to
move
mass
and
cast
to
the
south
end,
it's
going
to
make
the
situation
far
more
dangerous,
so
I'm
gonna
have
to
ask
the
council
to
vote
no
on
this
proposal
as
written
and
hopefully
a
better
plan
can
be
put
together
and
put
forward
for
the
people
of
Boston.
V
V
V
V
Furthermore,
this
policy
may
move
homeless
people
and
this
policy
may
move
the
locations
of
drug
abuse,
but
it
will
not
make
the
problem
disappear.
Instead,
it
will,
it
will
relocate
to
other
areas
of
Boston
and
when
the
funding
dries
up
for
these
services
and
Healthcare
Providers,
as
previously
stated,
are
no
longer
able
to
reach
these
populations
in
a
single
location.
V
V
The
legacy
of
Nixon's
War
on
Drugs
has
made
it
undeniable
that
Hardline
policies
over
40
years
of
attempts
across
countries
and
Nationwide
have
failed
to
combat
these
issues
in
the
U.S,
leaving
us
with
a
grotesquely
swollen
prison
system
and
an
opioid
crisis
that
grows
every
year.
Hardline
policies
have
created
this
situation
and
they
will
not
lock
us
out.
If
we
don't
want
to
be
back
here
in
five
years,
we
need
policy
change.
V
That
will
be
able
to
alleviate
this
problem
and
create
a
safer
Boston
for
all
of
us,
not
just
now,
but
in
the
future,
so
that
we
don't
have
to
come
back
here
and
discuss
this
issue
for
some
other
neighborhood
in
Boston
at
some
other
point
in
time
under
some
other
Administration
again,
and
this
is
normally
the
point
where
I
would
yield
my
time.
However,
my
consent,
my
my
fellow
citizen,
who
left
who
left
a
couple
moments
earlier,
wanted
me
to
wanted
me
to
state.
V
They
didn't
they
didn't
sign
up
on
coming
in
and
they
turned
to
me
and
went
oh
shoot,
I'm
not
going
to
get
to
speak,
but
quote
it
infuriates
me
that
it
took
over
three
hours
of
discussion
before
we
even
had
a
single
quote
from
someone
who
actually
lives
on
Atkinson,
Street
and
Madison
Cass,
and
when
we
constantly
push
people
out
of
their
homes,
so
case,
managers
and
healthcare
workers
can't
find
their
patients.
It
places
them
into
a
constant
state
of
hyper
vigilance
from
the
police,
potentially
taking
over
their
tents
and
personal
belongings.
V
This
initiative
is
yet
another
series
of
malpractices
in
our
housing
crisis
to
put
the
profits
in
the
pocket
to
the
very
few
of
the
top,
who
get
to
go
to
a
nice
home
with
a
nice
bed
and
appeared
and
appear
to
help
the
working
class
while
ultimately
recreating
our
issues
and,
frankly,
I
hope.
Every
I
hope
everyone
who
came
here
today
would
be
willing
to
re-examine
their
positions
in
the
hopes
of
creating
a
better
future
for
the
city
of
Boston.
Thank
you
very
much.
Thank.
O
B
X
B
B
B
And
then
we
have
an
online
portion
which
we'll
go
to
next,
but
I
want
to
get
everybody
who's
been
here
and
I
want
to
reiterate
my
gratitude
for
everybody
who
has
you
know
we
get
paid
to
be
here
and
you
all
don't
so
I
appreciate
it
very
much
that
you
have
shown
this
kind
of
level
of
concern
and
have
put
in
this
time
to
be
here
to
speak
this?
No,
we
don't
get
that
either,
but
they
don't
either
so
we're
gonna
start
with
Kim
Gleason.
M
Y
Y
Y
The
one
good
thing
that
you
have
is
that
they're
looking
for
Community
they're,
trying
they're
sick
but
they're
trying
what
you
need
to
do
is
give
them
a
place
to
detox
get
them
away
from
the
dealers
and
I
got
to
tell
you
I'm
from
Florida
bad
boys,
bad
boys.
What
you're
going
to
do?
Nick
Navarro
was
a
Broward
County
sheriff
in
Broward
County
Florida.
One
of
the
reasons
why
I'm
homeless
was
homeless
for
a
short
period
of
time,
I
was
chased,
I
saw
them
coming.
Y
Y
Y
You
have
an
opportunity
to
turn
it
all
around
give
them
that
give
them
the
opportunity
they
will
sign
up.
They
will
sign
away
all
their
rights
just
to
have
that
opportunity.
Long,
Island,
shelter,
perfect
spot
marijuana
industry
is
a
billion
dollar
industry.
Give
that
to
them.
Let
them
work
for
it.
Let
them
build
a
community
and
pay
for
all
of
their
messes.
H
G
H
Thank
you,
Mr,
chair
I,
want
to
express
two
sides
of
me
today,
one
on
a
lighter
note
and
one
on
a
serious
note
on
the
lighter
note.
I
wish
that
we
could
change
the
situation
so
that
the
people
that
want
to
see
the
public
should
go
first
before
everybody
else,
I
think
it.
They
I
think
some
of
these
people
that
testified
today
could
learn
from
some
of
us
that
come
from
the
street.
H
H
Just
give
a
couple
of
things:
the
the
tough
love
of
me,
I'll,
I'll
answer
the
person
that
put
a
big
to-do
up
on
the
screen
about
the
percentage
that
what
happened
in
Portugal
Portugal
doesn't
have
the
Constitution
that
we
have
there's
no
question
about
that
and
if
you
want
to
get
down
and
dirty
that
percentage
down
to
one
percent
is
probably
because
we
don't
want
to
know
where
those
people
ended
up.
Those
people
didn't
end
up
getting
clean.
H
H
The
structure
of
that
bridge
is
90
percent
done.
Just
by
having
the
structure.
That's
there
that
I
I
used
to
play
with
my
father
in
the
boat
and
go
fishing
out
there.
That
bridge
could
be
taken
care
of
in
no
time,
and
we
have
the
money
to
do
it.
I,
don't
care
what
Quincy
says.
Let
them
take
us
to
court.
H
H
H
H
The
policemen
that
are
there
are
to
protect
us
they're
there
to
protect
Council
Anderson
when
she
got
tick
pocketed
or
whatever
it
was.
That's
what
they're
there
for
they're
not
to
go
into
the
tent
that
isn't
their
job
to
go
into
the
tents
their
job
is
to
protect
us.
When
we
walk
down
that
street
to
go
wherever
we're
going,
that's
what
they're
there
for
I
think
we
we've
lost
something
on
what
we're
doing
here.
We've
lost
I,
don't
know
I,
guess
it's
the
compassion
I'm
just
confused
by
it.
H
H
H
B
Z
Good
evening,
technically,
okay,
good
evening,
my
name
is
Terrence
Burke
I'm,
a
resident
of
Dorchester,
it's
hard
to
follow.
Mr
provenzano.
My
been
a
lot
of
talk
today
about
civil
matters.
Constitutional
matters
I'm
not
here
to
pontificate
into
doing
different
things.
Basically,
if
I'm
just
curious,
the
fact
of
within
the
audience
proposed
audience,
I
apologize
is
the
the
penalty
for
violation.
Z
It
says
the
the
ordinance
shall
be
enforced
by
the
Boston
Police
Department,
as
has
any
sworn
law
enforcement
agency,
empowered
to
make
an
arrest
within
jurisdictional
boundaries
of
Massachusetts
I
know
the
trial
court
is
issued.
Court
documents
such
as
like
search
warrants
and
officers,
have
requested
consent
down
there.
So
my
I
don't
know
if
that
is
establishing
a
precedent,
legal
president,
down
the
line
that
these
are
going
to
now
become
considered
domiciles.
Z
My
question
is
essentially
with
the
city,
the
city,
employees
or
the
city
of
Boston.
The
boss,
please
find
employees,
will
they
be
they'll
be?
Will
they
be
indemplified
against
any
civil
action
from
the
likes
of
legal
aid?
Legal
entities
like
the
ACLU,
because
we
know
the
second
gun
Officer-
touches
that
tent
under
orders,
they're
going
to
be
like
name
a
badge
and
then
the
civil
lawsuit
could
come
down.
Z
The
line
in
Mass
I'm
just
curious
to
know
what
the
council
would
support,
either
a
policy
or
something
within
the
within
the
proposed
audience.
That
would
you
know,
provide
guidance
as
far
as
like
legal
indemnification
as
far
as
this
obviously
the
Civil
side.
So
these
offices,
you
know
on
facing
hardships,
online
yeah.
B
B
Think
commissioner
Cox
has
raised
that
concern
and
I
think
it's
valid
to
just
ensure
that,
if
we're
passing
new
laws
that
who's
responsible,
if
those
new
laws
turn
out
to
be
unconstitutional
or
have
some
Court
ruling
against
them,
I
think
that's
important
to
to
make
sure
we're
clear
on
I.
Do
believe
that
qualified
immunity
covers
this
simply
because
they're
in
the
general
course
of
their
duties
doing
their
job,
but
I
think
making
sure
that
that's
clear
at
the
working
session
is
something
that
more.
B
B
J
Oh
yes,
counselor
I,
I,
noting
the
hour
I
I
really
want
to
thank
the
council
for
considering
this
I
I
really
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
to
say
two
things.
First,
I
chair
the
South
End
forum,
and
this
matter
is
of
great
interest
to
us
and
to
every
neighborhood
association
represented
in
the
Forum
I'm,
going
to
defer
any
further
comment,
because
the
day
has
been
long,
but
we
would
love
to
be
able
to
to
help
in
the
working
session.
J
So
the
South
End
forum
and
our
members
are
stand
ready
to
to
work
with
the
Council
on
crafting
an
approach
to
this
issue.
That
is
sensible
and
that
reflects
the
needs
of
our
residents
and
our
neighborhoods
I'll.
Stop
there
and
and
thank
the
council
and
look
forward
to
to
a
future
work
working
session.
AA
Good
evening,
I
practice
the
good
morning
and
then
the
good
afternoon
and
I
guess
now
it's
evening
so
good
evening.
Everyone
thank
you
for
your
patience
and
for
allowing
me
to
speak.
My
name
is
Dr
Safina
adatia
I
completed
my
medical
school
and
training
and
family
medicine
at
McGill,
University
in
Montreal,
Quebec,
Canada
and
recently
moved
to
Boston
south
end,
where
I
am
now
an
addiction
medicine
fellow
at
Boston,
Medical
Center.
My
opinions
are
my
own
and
do
not
necessarily
reflect
the
views
of
any
institution
organization
or
individuals.
AA
The
people
who
live
in
the
area
known
as
Madison
cast
are
my
patients
as
an
addiction,
doctor
and
resident
of
the
south
end
I
support
the
creation
of
additional
dignified
Supportive
Housing,
both
in
the
neighborhood
and
throughout
Eastern
Massachusetts,
to
provide
Safety
and
Security.
To
my
patients,
however,
allowing
the
police
to
remove
tents
and
ultimately,
my
patients
from
their
homes
is
something
that
I
am
vehemently
against.
AA
AA
My
patients
are
human
beings
and
they
deserve
to
be
treated
as
such
without
adequate
consultation
and
collaboration
with
those
who
will
be
forcefully
evicted.
This
proposal
will
cause
tremendous
harm.
Providing
shelter
beds
is
a
temporary
solution,
but
our
patients
are
not
asking
for
more
shelter
beds.
They
are
asking
for
housing.
AA
While
progress
has
been
made
to
connect
those
experiencing
homelessness
to
long-term
housing.
Forced
dismantling
of
the
few
belongings
they
have
at
the
hands
of
the
police
does
not
solve
the
problem.
It
just
moves
it
elsewhere,
only
to
cause
irreparable
trauma
and
harm
community
members
will
be
exposed
to
more
violence,
potential
loss
of
their
items
and
continued
inequality
and
segregation.
They
will
also
have
decreased
access
to
community
services
and
overdose
prevention
mechanisms,
which
ultimately
will
worsen
the
Safety
and
Security
of
my
patients
and
lead
to
more
preventable
deaths.
AA
This
was
demonstrated
in
a
recent
modeling
study
by
Josh
by
Dr
Joshua
barrocas,
which
showed
continual
involuntary
displacement,
May
contribute
to
between
10,
15
and
24
of
additional
deaths
among
unsheltered
people
who
inject
drugs
over
a
10-year
period.
I
believe
the
study
had
been
referenced
multiple
times
throughout
the
day
today,
I'm
a
new
Resident
to
the
city
and
this
neighborhood.
AA
However,
what
I've
learned
from
my
patients
in
the
last
two
months
has
humbled
me
for
a
lifetime,
as
the
city
has
seen
in
the
past,
spending
money
on
police
enforced
sweeps
without
long-term
Housing
Solutions
will
only
exacerbate
the
harm.
My
patients
experience,
increase
barriers
in
accessing
treatment
for
mental
health
and
substance,
use
disorders
and
lead
to
worse
outcomes,
both
health
and
otherwise.
AA
This
is
a
community
in
need
of
investments
in
evidence-based,
public
health
and
treatment-centered
strategies
and
I
emphasize
the
evidence-based,
because
we've
heard
a
lot
of
personal
testimony
which
is
important
and
valid.
But
we
must
look
at
the
data
and
research
which
shows
what
works
I
would
encourage
you
to
rethink
this
proposal
and
continue
collaborating
with
experts
in
the
field,
along
with
actively
collaborating
with
members
of
the
Massachusetts
Avenue
and
melnia
Cass
Boulevard,
in
a
way
that
centers
their
health
and
Humanity.
AB
AB
I
also
think
we
need
to
stop
looking
for
the
one
perfect
plan,
because
there
isn't
one
thing:
that's
going
to
work
for
everybody
and
consider
that
there's
a
whole
table
full
of
plans
that
we
could
enact
for
because
everything
could
help
one
person
or
two
people
or
some
people
and
trying
to
find
the
one
thing
that's
going
to
work
for
everybody
is
a
Fool's
errand.
In
just
a
few
days.
AB
It's
going
to
be
the
ninth
anniversary
of
the
closure
of
the
bridge
to
Long
Island,
October,
8th
and,
as
somebody
who's
lived
in
this
neighborhood
for
30
plus
years.
That
was
the
inflection
point
for
this
neighborhood,
starting
to
really
turn
in
a
very
bad
and
negative
way,
and
so
I.
Just
we
can't
just
keep
paddling
in
circles
and
having
more
meetings
and
having
another
meeting
and
having
another
hearing
and
having
another
conversation,
we
need
action
and
we
need
it
now.
AB
They
won't
help
everybody,
but
they
will
help
some
people,
and
that
is
what
we
need
to
do.
I
mean
we
just
things
are
just
out
of
control.
The
neighborhood
is
being
destroyed.
Children's
entire
childhoods
have
been
spent
witnessing
things
that
adults
don't
even
want
to
look
at.
I
live
adjacent
to
Clifford,
Park
I
pick
up
needles.
AB
There
myself
I've,
picked
up
people
I'd
call
the
ambulances
for
people
who
turned
out
to
be
dead
and
children
saw
that,
and
we
can
talk
about
the
trauma
of
people
who
are
at
massacast
and
I,
don't
mean
to
invalidate
their
trauma
in
any
kind
of
way,
but
seeing
a
dead
body
in
a
playground
when
you're
eight
is
a
pretty
serious
trauma
too,
and
we
need
to
not
set
aside
what
is
happening
in
the
neighborhood
to
children,
to
elders
and
to
everybody
who
lives
or
works
here.
Who
is
adjacent
to
the
situation
at
mass
and
cast.
AB
We
all
have
trauma
too,
because
we've
seen
things
that
other
people
Citywide
don't
have
to
see.
So,
while
people
sit
comfortably
in
their
living
rooms,
wringing
their
hands
talking
about
what
a
sad
situation
this
is,
but
they
live
several
zip
codes
away
from
it
is
really
frustrating
for
those
of
us.
Who've
had
to
shoulder
this
burden
and
far
more
than
a
fair
share
for
the
last
nine
years,
and
so
that's
all
I
want
to
say
I
just
want
to
urge
some
urgency
rather
than
yet
another
meeting.
Thank
you
very
much.
Thank.
B
You
very
much
that
concludes
our
public
speaking
Community
comment.
Section
I
want
to
thank
again
I'm
sure
there
are
countless
people
watching
this
who
didn't
participate
but
are
tuned
in
yeah.
Even
my
phone
is
like
no
we're
done,
and
so
I
just
want
to.
Let
folks
know
we
are
treating
this
with
urgency.
We
believe
it
deserves.
It
has
real
ramifications
which
hopefully
we're
outlined
today
and
a
number
of
different
places
that
we
are
trying
to
assess
and
and
make
smart
evidence-based
database
decisions
on
moving
forward,
we'll
schedule
a
working
session.
B
We
do
have
a
60-day
notice
on
this,
which
means
that
if
there's
no
action
taken,
if
it's
not
taking
it
to
the
floor
for
a
vote,
I
believe
October,
30th
or
there's
about
it
immediately
takes
place,
and
so
there
will
certainly
be
a
vote
before
then.
If
the
working
session
leads
to
an
amended
version
in
the
amended
version
does
not
pass,
then
we
would
have
to
do
a
second
vote
on
the
original
one
as
well
and
and
address
that
without
the
amendment.
B
Otherwise,
the
original
would
pass
as
well,
and
so
we
will
be
doing
that
timeline
before
October
30th,
which
I
think
leaves
October.
25Th
is
the
last
meeting
before
that.
So
Domingos
is
back,
so
we'll
have
we'll
have
one
more
person,
I
I
know
Domingos
is
here
he
was
waiting
to
speak
so
I'm
going
to
give
him
the
floor,
but
we
will
schedule
another
working
session
just
to
make
sure
we
go
over
the
language
and
that
working
session
will
be
before
that
October
25th
meeting
Mr
DeRosa.
AC
AC
However,
people
want
to
label
it
and,
however,
they
want
to
call
it,
but
the
reality
is
there's
human
suffering
going
on
down
on
Roxbury
South
End,
Mattapan,
Hyde
Park.
It's
a
city-wide
issue,
it's
a
Statewide
issue,
but
it
affects
families
who
live
closest
to
Madison
calves.
I'm,
a
member
of
the
South
End
Roxbury
Community
Partnership.
It
was
a
organization
formed
because
of
massacast
I'm.
Also
the
president
of
the
Boston
Bengals
Pop
Warner
program,
who
has
been
who
has
been
dealing
with
this
for
a
decade
on
a
day-to-day
basis.
AC
B
All
right
well,
in
that
case,
I,
am
going
to
adjourn
this.
It's
six
o'clock
and
before
I
do
adjourn.
I
just
want
to
thank
our
Central
staff,
Christine,
O'donnell
and
Ethan,
who
does
all
the
camera
work
and
all
the
things
that
you're
seeing
is
navigating
our
Zoom.
This
wouldn't
be
possible
without
our
Central
staff,
really
helping
prop
up
and
allowing
us
to
do
the
work
that
we're
trying
to
do
here.
So
my
gratitude
to
them
for
this
incredibly
long
hearing
all
right,
well,
I'm
glad
we're
adjourned.