By Pastor Keke Dieufort J. Fleurissaint, Clare Okalany, and Shameeka Moreno
Every day, neighbors throughout Boston struggle with housing instability and a need for mental health and recovery services. The recent tragic death of a man who froze outside South Station serves as a stark testament to the devastating human toll.
According to a recent Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) report, unintentional drug overdose was the leading cause of premature mortality in Boston from 2020 to 2023. While this crisis impacts everyone, there is a disproportionate impact in Black and Brown communities.
The BPHC report notes that in 2023, the opioid overdose mortality rate for Black residents of Boston was 131 percent higher than that of white residents, and the rate for Latinx residents was 48 percent higher than that of white residents. The report identifies housing and addiction treatment as crucial interventions to prevent overdose.
As staff of organizations based in Boston’s working class immigrant communities and communities of color, we work closely with people facing these challenges.
One, an immigrant from a Francophone country in Africa who sought asylum from persecution at home, was homeless for a time in Boston until a case worker helped her with ESL and vocational training. She has a job as a hair stylist now and is on track for subsidized housing.
“I hope that people understand how important it is to have a place you can call your home,” she told us.
Another, who is actively looking for housing with the support of the Department of Mental Health, has been living in a shelter for six months after losing their job and medication.
Their stories underline what we know as providers, organizers, neighbors, and loved ones: People can regain housing and health stability when they receive support. That is why we joined a hundreds-strong, multi-racial coalition, Housing and Health on Morton Street, calling for supportive housing, mental health services, and addiction treatment at the Morton Street redevelopment.
Our neighbors’ need for these critical supports is urgent. With that in mind, we would like to correct some misconceptions about the campus and the redevelopment process:
First, services at Morton Street are not new. For more than four decades, providers on the campus have safely and effectively offered shelter, recovery, and mental health services to community members.
Second, there has been an extensive community process regarding campus redevelopment.When the Shattuck Hospital announced it would move in 2018, the state conducted a robust year-plus planning process, which gathered input from surrounding communities through a needs assessment, community advisory board, and numerous meetings. The resulting Vision Plan prioritizes continued recovery and health services alongside supportive housing – affordable homes with wrap-around services, as well as integration with the park and a strong public safety program.
Third, there is deep support for supportive housing and services from surrounding communities. Our 12 member groups represent hundreds of residents of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and JP. Over 70 percent of the coalition’s base is people of color and/or immigrants. We have held several multilingual community meetings at which residents have voiced support for robust housing and recovery services on the campus.
Our coalition is pleased that the state has re-launched the redevelopment process. We call on the Healey Administration to move forward swiftly, so that more of our neighbors can regain stability. We call on the state to (1) continue recovery and mental health services on the campus; (2) add at least 200 supportive housing units for individuals and families;and (3) build on the Vision Plan that incorporated substantial input from surrounding communities and identified key needs and priorities.
Pastor Keke Dieufort J. Fleurissaint leads the Mattapan True Alliance Center; Clare Okalany of Roxbury is a leader at African Community Economic Development of New England; and Shameeka Moreno of Dorchester is part of the Boston Tenant Coalition.
