A church in Quincy that opened its garden to seven immigrant families was abruptly told on Friday that it must take down the tents. The 24 Haitian migrants, including several children and a 1-year-old infant, are in limbo again, after sleeping outside of Wollaston Station.
An inspector showed up at the church when no one was present on Friday morning, according to Pastor Niki Harvell, who communicated with the representative through the church’s camera. Harvell was told that a complaint had been filed with the city, and that under a “no camping ordinance,” tents couldn’t be erected on the property.
Inspector Paul Martin showed up around 9 p.m. on Friday to make sure tents were taken down, and no one was present on the property, and to post a cease and desist order outside the garden, she said.
“We were told that even on our property, we cannot have tents, no matter who it is,” she said.
Martin didn’t reply to a request for comment, the Inspectional Services Department directed questions to the mayor’s office, which told GBH News in a statement that neighbors complained about “unsanitary and potentially unsafe activity on the Church grounds.”
“Members of the Inspectional Services Department, Fire Department and Legal department explained to Church officials the life-safety, health and building code issues relative to a tent set-up that was visible on the church grounds,” said Christopher Walker, chief of staff for Mayor Thomas Koch, via email. He said the church agreed with the tent removal and no citations were issued, but a warning was posted. The issue was a “state code issue,” he said.
The church offered its garden to shelter the migrant families overnight after being contacted by the Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network, a group of advocates and faith groups. The church set up seven tents. Families began to move in on Aug. 5 after temporarily staying in Brockton. During the day, the migrants go to a family welcome center.
“There were families that were left on the street with nowhere to go. And so we stepped in and provided a space that we could, for folks who are our friends,” said Harvell. “And, we are certainly not an ideal situation.”
Harvell said the church will comply with the city’s warning. Asked if Quincy officials offered alternatives for the families, Harvell said in her conversations, that hadn’t happened.
“There was no pathway for us. There was no option provided for us as a congregation of a different way to do it,” said Harvell.
Instead, the Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network scrambled to find help from other churches or groups for the families — which have grown from seven to ten — and used their own emergency funds to transport and put families up in several hotels over the weekend. By Monday, they were helping 13 families.
Judy Wolberg, a volunteer and retired midwife, said that some of the families will likely end up at the train station again after tomorrow night, because the finances aren’t sustainable.“
Wolberg said the state needs to change course on its five-day limit on overflow shelter stays, and come up with other solutions, or people “will be sleeping on the sidewalk.”
“We’re just putting Band-Aids wherever we can. At least a tent, especially our little campsite, was really quite lovely — it is a shame,” she said.
