by Somerville locals demanded that the tents be taken down as soon as at least two were set up in the center of Davis Square’s main square.
One Reddit user urged Mayor Katjana Ballantyne to prevent a tent city from forming in our most pleasant downtown. Encampments quickly spin out of control.
The mayor’s office stated that although the city took a supporting stance in moving the structures soon after, one of President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders now makes it much simpler for communities nationwide to take action if they so chose.
Inan orderissued July 24, Trump called for local leaders to commit unhoused people to long-term institutional settings to restore public order and to remove encampments. According to Massachusetts law, those who use drugs or have mental health issues may be involuntarily civilly committed.
The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance’s CEO, Joyce Tavon, described the decision as unsettling but not an unexpected government action.
This is a message about policy. According to her, it’s not yet a complete picture of what would happen next. The federal government’s punitive approach to the message while simultaneously reducing funding is what we are seeing as worrying.
The directive directs the federal government to give priority funding to states and towns that take strong measures against urban squatting, open illegal drug use, and urban camping and loitering.
According to the order information sheet, President Trump is adopting a new strategy centered on preserving public safety because it is inhumane to leave our towns and inhabitants in chaos and terror, neither of which is helpful to the homeless or other citizens.
Regarding safe injection locations, Trump also wants states and local governments to stop funding any illegal drug usage or drug injection facilities. Last year, the state Department of Public Health published a report stating that they are both possible and required in Massachusetts, and the first state-approved site opened in Rhode Island.
Although Massachusetts does not currently have any safe injection locations, local activists are still working to establish them in order to stop overdose deaths. In April, the new U.S. attorney for Massachusetts put an end to the proposal. They were categorically illegal, according to Trump appointment prosecutor Leah Foley.
Cities make arrests, clear encampments
Following hundreds of 911 reports, including for attacks, overdoses, and sexual assaults, Fall River police detained 38 individuals near the city’s Quequechan River Rail Trail on August 5, according to the department.
According to a Facebook post, the situation has gotten worse despite years of advocacy, support services, and intervention from social workers and campaigners. All of the people tented along the trail have turned down several offers of accommodation, rehabilitation, and support, and outreach workers have been pushed away after being threatened with weapons.
According to a Fall River representative, Fall River’s actions were unrelated to Trump’s executive order.
A human trafficking bust in Boston’s Mass. and Cass neighborhood resulted in the arrest of 13 persons. Although the office of Mayor Michelle Wus had already removed tents from the area, neighbors claim that the situation is still problematic, and Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn wants the situation there to be labeled a public health and safety emergency.
Housing First policies under attack
Additionally, Trump is indicating that Housing First policies—which proponents say provide homeless people with a bed before they can find employment or receive treatment for substance use disorders—will no longer be in place. According to the Trump administration, those policies fail to support treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency and deprioritize responsibility.
The Housing First strategy has been in use for the past 25 years. Numerous data points to the effectiveness of this strategy, according to Tavon. the great majority of those without a place to call home. They require a place to call home.
According to its website, the City of Boston’s strategy for eradicating homelessness centers on Housing First. Wusued the Trump administration earlier last year to defend Housing First initiatives, even though the executive order suggests federal monies might be diverted from places like Boston.
Wu s office did not return repeated requests for comment regarding any potential changes to such policies in light of the executive order.
The city filed the lawsuit in response to Trump’s May move to terminate the Continuum of Care program, the main federal funding source for homelessness initiatives run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Tavon described the recent directive as a continuation of such kinds of cuts, stating that CoC mostly subsidizes supportive housing.
“I worry that if we don’t have resources, we’ll just see more camping bans,” she added. In order to prevent such reaction, I would prefer to see a more unified, all-encompassing governmental effort that supports all of our communities and villages.
The City of Somerville stated that a comprehensive approach is essential but declined to comment on the new order when questioned.
Our aim is to address both immediate public space concerns and root causes, Ballantyne said in a statement, ensuring all residents receive the support, dignity, and safe public spaces they deserve.
Molly Farrar works for Boston.com as a general assignment reporter, covering topics such as politics, crime, and education.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Receive all the information you require to begin your day, given directly to your inbox each morning.
