BOS:311
OPEN #101005725940
Opened
Description
Per constituent via contact form 10/7: " My name is Josh Deems and I am a long-time resident of Boston, with roots in the Greater Boston area going back to my birth in 1989. I’ve cherished this city since childhood, remembering fondly how safe and vibrant it felt. As a kid, I had the freedom to take the Red Line downtown on my own from Braintree, which I frequently did and enjoyed exploring the city. After spending several years in Washington, DC, and New York, I felt a strong pull back to Boston in 2014. I wanted to experience life here as an adult and contribute to the city I held in such high regard. I lived in neighborhoods like the Seaport, North End, and Beacon Hill, embracing Boston’s culture, community, and charm. In 2022, my fiancée and I returned once again after a brief stint in DC to the South End, excited to make this our home and put down roots in the city we both love. However, the Boston of 2024 is not the Boston we remembered, and we are experiencing profound regret about our decision to return. As homeowners, dog owners, and active members of the community, we are committed to the South End. We invested our life savings in a brownstone on the corner of Worcester and Tremont Streets, drawn by the beauty of the neighborhood and all it has to offer. Unfortunately, our daily experiences are testing our resolve to stay. We face persistent issues of public drug use, litter, and unsafe conditions. Used needles, discarded drug paraphernalia, and human waste line the path from our private parking spot to our front steps. Our car and the wall separating our parking space from our neighbor’s yard have become public bathrooms, and our front steps are often overtaken by individuals conducting drug deals. We and our neighbors call 3-1-1 multiple times a week to request needle pickups, but it is disheartening to feel this is an endless cycle we are forced to live with. We’ve documented numerous incidents: individuals passed out on our property, groups of needles strewn over our driveway, threats made against us, and more. Sadly, we are often met with delayed police response times or dismissive comments like “that’s just city living.” We can attest, after previous years lived in other cities, and other times living in Boston, that what’s happening right now is not “just city living”. We are deeply concerned not only for ourselves but for our community. We live less than 300 feet from Hurley K-8 School. What if a child, a neighbor, or even our dog were to accidentally step on a used needle, or a threat from an individual turn physical? This is not the safe, thriving environment we envisioned for our home, nor one where we would choose to raise a family. As young professionals invested in Boston’s future, we are increasingly questioning whether it is sustainable to stay here under these conditions. We cannot enjoy our neighborhood and the challenges we face are causing us to reconsider our decision to remain in Boston. I respectfully request a meeting with your office to discuss these pressing concerns and explore what actions can be taken to make our block safer. We want to work together to reduce the impact of drug use, improve the cleanliness of our block, and restore a sense of security to this beautiful neighborhood. We are open to solutions and ready to give this one final effort before considering a move elsewhere." | Case (SR) Type: [BPD: Quality of Life] Referred To: [POLICE: AREA D-4]
Location
Intersection Of Worcester St And Tremont St, Roxbury, Ma
42.3401097, -71.07882444

Activity

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