Boston City Councilor John FitzGerald has proposed that neighboring cities and towns contribute to a regional fund aimed at addressing the homelessness and addiction crisis at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, commonly referred to as “Mass and Cass.”
In a recent interview, FitzGerald expressed the urgency of the situation, noting that is not just a Boston problem, but a regional one that requires collective action.
FitzGerald, who represents most of Dorchester and parts of the South End, is set to file a hearing order this week to explore the creation of a Regional Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Fund.
This proposed fund would require both Boston and surrounding municipalities to pool resources in support of addiction recovery, public health infrastructure, and housing initiatives.
According to the hearing order disclosed on Monday, FitzGerald intends to introduce the proposal to the city council on Wednesday.
He aims to assess potential fund structures, contribution methods, and the legal channels necessary for implementation.
FitzGerald emphasized that the current approach to tackling the crisis has not yielded successful results, calling for innovative solutions to be put on the table.
He mentioned that safe injection sites and a designated location for the initiative Recover Boston should be considered as viable funding options.
One significant point raised by FitzGerald is that many individuals receiving treatment for addiction in Boston do not reside in the city.
This observation aligns with data from the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Medical Center, reinforcing the idea that a collaborative funding mechanism would ensure that neighboring municipalities, which benefit from Boston’s services, are also responsible for contributing to the solutions.
“Everyone gets to say ‘dump it on Boston,’ but they’ve got to realize that they need to help out,” FitzGerald added.
Support for the proposal was also voiced by Josh Kraft, a candidate for mayor of Boston, who stated that the time for effective leadership to tackle the human tragedy and public safety issues at Mass and Cass has arrived.
Kraft endorsed FitzGerald’s initiative, encouraging both increased state funding and contributions from surrounding towns and cities, highlighting that the issue transcends the city limits.
However, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who prioritized clearing the area of Mass and Cass early in her term yet faced criticism for ongoing issues, has yet to comment on FitzGerald’s proposal.
Mayoral candidate Domingos DaRosa expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of the regional fund, suggesting that the suburbs may resist such initiatives.
DaRosa pointed out the challenges of garnering support from local governments, especially if the state government does not take a leading role in addressing the crisis.
He indicated that towns like Swampscott are unlikely to embrace treatment centers within their borders, arguing that residents in need often struggle to access services in their own communities, which he believes is a deliberate effort to push the problem onto Boston.
FitzGerald, who chairs the city council’s committee on public health, homelessness, and recovery, hopes that the hearing order will incite meaningful discussion and lead to effective policy changes.
The proposed initiative underscores a growing recognition that homelessness and addiction require a unified and multifaceted approach from all municipalities in Greater Boston.
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