All the fury over the closing of the Long Island homeless shelter spilled out at a South End forum last night with one woman declaring: “We are not dogs!”
Hundreds packed the Blackstone Community Center to get answers from city officials about the future of Long Island after the bridge was abruptly shut down last month after being deemed unsafe to travel on.
This move has displaced about 700 homeless people living on the island.
The city set up temporary solutions at the South End Fitness Center and the Pine Street Inn, among other locations.
Last night’s rowdy crowd — a mixture of the affected homeless, advocates and concerned citizens — interrupted city councilors and members of Mayor Marty Walsh’s staff during the presentation, shouting, “Where’s the mayor?” and, “You don’t care about the people.”
The chants kept coming with, “No more Band-Aids — You need to fix it,” and, “Would you put your own mother outside?”
Boston City Councilor Frank Baker said, “We are in crisis mode.”
Councilor Tito Jackson added, “This is the most urgent issue facing the city.”
One woman, who only gave her first name, Cheryl, told the crowd during the open mic portion of the meeting: “People should not be living in the streets like me.
Now is the time. Not six months. I could be dead.
There are not enough beds for us. Some people are living in cars and dark alleys.
We are living all over the place. We are not dogs!”
The mayor’s spokeswoman, Kate Norton, said the city has set up enough beds, however, some people are refusing the temporary homes and choosing to live outside.
With the winter coming, something has to give. Fast.
Jaclyn Cashman is co-host of “Morning Meeting” on Boston Herald Radio.
Copyright © 2024 Jaclyn Cashman.
