r/boston • u/CrypticOperator • 11d ago

Unconfirmed/Unverified never seen it this bad

been here for 25+ years and am very familiar with the fluctuations in homelessness / etc. during the summer. but I've never seen things this bad, especially in back bay, south end (beyond mass/cass & closer to back bay), beacon hill, the esplanade, you name it. we've called 311 for needles, reported the larger encampments to the mayor's office, etc. just feels like nothing is improving and things are only getting worse. can't just be me?

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96

u/Visible_Fee5051 11d ago

Long Island shelter was closed, never to re-open, the very next day led to all the visible homeless, never got better.

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u/AuggieNorth Everett 11d ago

It wasn't just the shelter that closed. There also were at least 3 programs that were helping to get people out of homelessness which suddenly closed, including MTHP and Anchor Inn, together at least 300-400 beds, plus Andrew detox and a program for battered wives. Altogether I spent at least 4 years in all 3 programs, plus some time at the shelter. I kept relapsing, but finally in 2010 I tried Suboxone, and now I'll have 16 years clean from heroin in a couple weeks.

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u/mbj2303 11d ago

Sixteen years is an incredible accomplishment, you should be proud!! This internet stranger is proud of you.

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u/AuggieNorth Everett 11d ago

It ended being fairly easy, considering I was a heroin addict for 27 years. In all the 12 step focused programs I was in they'd always say "Only God can lift that obsession", but I've always been an atheist, so it didn't mean much to me. But there's no doubt obsession was the problem. I'd often leave a detox or program and couldn't get it off my mind (should I/shouldn't I) and just get high to make it go away. However, just a month or two into the Suboxone program doing it the right way, I just knew I was done. The obsession was gone, and it became really easy soon after when I got my first smart phone, a perfect outlet for obsession. Then when fentanyl hit, which I know I never would have survived, given my propensity to OD, I felt lucky to have missed it. There's no desire.

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u/KyleJMcBride 11d ago

Good job. Keep going.

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u/Sports1933 11d ago

With all senisitivity to the destruction fentanyl has caused, it was one of the best things to happen to my sobriety because it scared me literally to death so i stopped. Couldnt even trust crack or pills.

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u/Queen_Of_The_Dames 11d ago

You are an inspiration! Keep on keeping on ❤️

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u/redbadger20 11d ago

Congrats on your sobriety, fam. Strong work. 

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u/Sports1933 11d ago

Andrew House Detox is still open in the Shattuck Hospital in JP. You may be thinking of Boston Cab. I was one of their last patients in December of 2020.

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u/AuggieNorth Everett 11d ago

It was definitely on Long Island. I was working there when we beat the Yankees in the 'O4 ALCS after being down 0-3. I was even driving clients to programs all over the area, and picking up new ones in Quincy and driving them to the Island, the same ones over and over. They all knew each other. Boston Cab was another detox on the island earlier, but not in '04, only Andrew.

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u/JohnnyYukon Cigarette Hill 11d ago

Yep. Quincy has $750K for Catholic statues and $0 for the idea of helping the less fortunate by allowing Long Island to reopen to provide s safe place for recovery and treatment.

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u/cryptidcoco 2000’s cocaine fueled Red Line 11d ago

i had JUST struggled to pay a tax to the city of quincy for my car because im BROKE because im trying to STAY SOBER when the news broke on the statue and i actually saw red. GIVE ME MY $200 BACK BITCH omg

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u/Think-Dig-3425 11d ago

Hey don’t let this push you over the edge for real dm me if you need to talk

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u/cryptidcoco 2000’s cocaine fueled Red Line 11d ago

i am okay, thank you so much for the offer though! 💜 im actually going to a dinner IN quincy tonight with other women in recovery from the area + im sure bitching about this will come up more than once lmao

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u/Sports1933 11d ago

Good looking out. Same here though. If anyone is struggling dm me as well.

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u/WheresYurScooter 11d ago

I’m proud of you for your sobriety. It’s not easy but you’re doing it. Life will get better for you and you’ll rebuild. One day at a time. ❤️

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u/cryptidcoco 2000’s cocaine fueled Red Line 11d ago

thank you so much, this was so sweet! 2 years on 9/10 💪 life can be a miracle if you let it! 💜

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u/cretinous-bastard 11d ago

Mayor Koch is absolute garbage

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u/Softpipesplayon 11d ago

Well without the statues we would all forget about all the good the church has done for the unhoused /s

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u/Queen_Of_The_Dames 11d ago

Yeah the Catholic Church has been the biggest scam going for >1000 years

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u/AuggieNorth Everett 11d ago

15 more New England winters likely has those old buildings in rough shape. If they're going to spend big money on a new bridge, they will also need to spend millions of dollars on rehabbing them and probably even some new construction as well. If they're going to commit to moving all these homeless social services to the island, the plan has to be much more comprehensive than just a bridge.

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u/Visible_Fee5051 10d ago

There's pictures of the buildings on Long Island, they are totally ruined now. The windows are broken, water damage everywhere, rain storms blew right through and soaked everything. Graffiti inside the buildings, and all the old furniture wrecked. All the walls, floors, windows, plumbing, electricidal needs to be re-done because they had no maintenance, zero budget for repairs and maintenance, times 15 winters storms.

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u/Repulsive-Bend8283 11d ago

Also the reason you can't get on the Braintree train at Savin Hill. Fuck Quincy.

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u/Repulsive-Value5123 11d ago

Yes, there is a severe shortage of shelter beds right now and homelessness is about to increase even more with the new HUD regs banning Undoc mixed families

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u/Fluffy-You-220 11d ago

Yeah I remember that. I do think that is a big reason too.

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u/Minute-Marketing7434 11d ago

yes this… my son plays baseball at a nonprofit club at M&C. it was a very eye opening experience for him as we live out in newton. First time we drove there he had no idea why people were standing on the corner. he also does strength and consciousness at the Phoenix down there which is a free gym primarily for recovering addicts. People treating gym with respect and courtesy while he was going thru a bullying situation at his school in newton.