Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is unveiling a new plan for tackling one of the city's most troubled spots, the area around Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue — referred to as “Methadone Mile” by some; and, more hopefully, dubbed “Recovery Row” by others.
The area, home to a number of homeless shelters and methadone clinics — as well as hospitals, recovery facilities, and a K-8 school serving 800 children — has been the source of mounting frustration from neighbors tired of open-air drug use, discarded needles and other neighborhood hazards. At the same time, recovery and homelessness advocates say police have been waging a retaliatory and cruel campaign to rid the area of vulnerable people.
The new plan seems to represent the Walsh administration’s response to pressure from both directions.
The plan, which was announced Friday, seeks to increase treatment, recovery and assistance efforts on the one hand, while ramping up police and public safety enforcement on the other — a balance that has so far proven tricky.
Residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the area have long complained of rampant open-air drug use, discarded needles, crime, pan-handling and tent encampments, and demanded the city do more about all of it.
But — and especially since the controversial August police action dubbed “Operation Clean Sweep” — advocates for the harm reduction, recovery and treatment have also pressed the Walsh administration, demanding the city do more to help people suffering from addiction and mental illness, and not use law enforcement to sweep the problem under the rug.
Read more: Suffolk D.A. Rachael Rollins On The 'Operation Clean Sweep' Arrests And More
In unveiling the new plan, dubbed “Melnea Cass / Mass Ave 2.0,” the Walsh administration says it intends to do both: Ramp up police presence, enforcement, and quality-of-life improvement efforts on the one hand, and double down on providing treatment options, on-the-ground outreach teams and compassionate assistance on the other.
In a press briefing Thursday, Boston Chief of Health and Human Services Marty Martinez said that the new plan “calls for us to strike the right balance between public health, public safety, and quality of life, while focusing on coordination of services.”
“The theme here is more boots on the ground, and more services outside the neighborhood,” Martinez said.
The new plan is centered around four priorities: recovery and treatment; public safety measures; addressing “quality-of-life” issues; and better communication.
In terms of expanded recovery and assistance efforts, the city is pledging to increase the number of street outreach workers from the Office of Recovery Services and establish a "dashboard" to track progress in connecting people with treatment. The city will also be expanding recovery services outside of the neighborhood, Martinez said.
But the plan also calls for more enforcement, including a heavier police presence and a continued focus on tent encampments in the area.
The mayor will also appoint a 24-member advisory task force to meet monthly, discuss progress, and provide recommendations.
The Walsh administration clearly hopes to strike a balance between what have often been, so far, competing criticisms of the city’s stewardship of the area.
Walsh, a passionate advocate for recovery, has faced mounting criticism for "Operation Clean Sweep," criticized by some as a de facto round-up of homeless and vulnerable people in the area to appease a growing chorus for action from neighborhood groups and businesses.
Read more: Mayor Marty Walsh Stands By Police Sweep On Melnea Cass Boulevard
Martinez said the plan is about helping people in need, but that the administration will not downplay the concerns of some neighbors.
“On the quality-of-life side, there is no question that our neighbors are being impacted by this epidemic,” of addiction, said Martinez, “and we are placing an emphasis on that.”
