Homelessness
Cambridge To Halt Funding for Transition Wellness Center Shelter as American Rescue Plan Funds Run Out
The City of Cambridge plans to halt funding to the Transition Wellness Center Shelter in June — removing the shelter’s 58 beds as the city struggles to accommodate its unhoused population. The temporary shelter was originally intended to close in 2023.
Residents, Former Staff Allege Hostility and Unsanitary Conditions at Bay Cove Shelters
Residents and former staff of three shelters operated by Bay Cove Human Services in Cambridge alleged — in a public meeting, interviews, and more than 500 pages of public records obtained by The Crimson — that staff berated residents and shelters harbored unsanitary conditions.
Cambridge Residents Hold Donation Drive to Address Homelessness
As the City of Cambridge works to meet the needs of its homeless population, private institutions — like Saint Peter School and the Harvard Square Churches Meal Program— are trying to fill in the gaps.
Progressive Cambridge Policing Approach Tested By Homeless Encampment
Despite the removal of an encampment under the Boston University Bridge by police last year, the tents have since returned — testing the Cambridge Police Department’s attempt to balance their lawful responsibility and effort to respect the choice to live outdoors.
Mass General Brigham to Launch Home Hospital Care Program for Homeless Veterans
Ariadne Labs at Mass General Brigham is launching a new program to offer at-home hospital care for homeless veterans in transitional housing, according to a press release from the hospital.
Bay Cove Staff Accused of Mistreatment at Public Hearing
A City Council meeting intended to focus on how Cambridge could better support homeless residents turned into something of a public reckoning as resident after resident accused staff at shelters operated by Bay Cove Human Services of abuse and mistreatment.
Cambridge Shelters Struggle With Tightening Budgets
More than 1,000 people are homeless in Cambridge, many of whom have not been able to secure a bed in a shelter. But staff at shelters in Cambridge and Boston said that the limiting factor isn’t space — it’s funding.
‘Eerie Feeling’: Cambridge Residents Mixed On Central Square Surveillance Program
Cambridge residents are watching closely as the city moves ahead on plans to install more surveillance cameras in Central Square — and they have mixed reviews.
Homeless Families in Cambridge Temporary Shelter Report Worsening Conditions
Residents and shelter workers at the Cambridge Registry of Deeds building center said the new five-day stay limit was going unenforced but fostered a sense of instability as residents struggled to make concrete plans for the future.
State Officials Grant Cambridge Public Schools $200,000 to Support Unhoused Students
The state of Massachusetts awarded Cambridge Public Schools about $200,000 to support unhoused students, state officials announced Tuesday.
Cambridge to Pilot Surveillance Cameras in Central Square
The Cambridge City Council approved a controversial pilot proposal from the Cambridge Police Department to install surveillance cameras in Central Square.
Cambridge Unarmed Response Team Dispatches to 911 Calls
The Cambridge Safety Department’s unarmed response team is now responding to nine different types of non-violent 911 calls in the latest effort to expand policing alternatives.
Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Debuts Renovations To Adapt To 6-Month Stays
The Harvard Square Homeless Shelter unveiled the renovation of their space on Friday — and with it, a dramatic shift in their model to allow shelter guests to stay for the entirety of the 6-month operational season.
State Legislature Limits Emergency Assistance Shelter Stays
State legislators voted Thursday to pass a bill imposing a nine-month limit on families staying in state-run Emergency Assistance Shelters effective June 1.
Healey Administration Puts Limits on Stays in Overflow Homeless Shelters
For months, Massachusetts has struggled to accommodate an influx of unhoused families, who have a right to shelter under state law. Now, state officials are looking to put limits on families’ stays in some state-run shelters.
