Homelessness in Brockton

Homelessness in Brockton has undergone significant shifts over the past decade, with the dismantling of makeshift “tent cities” under the tenure of former Mayor Bill Carpenter. Tent City are located in a wooded area behind North Montello, Elliot and North Cary streets in Brockton. In summer and early fall, many homeless people decide to take their chances camping outdoors to escape overcrowded shelters. As a result, the city now grapples with providing essential services to those in need, On average, MainSpring has about 115 people sleep at the shelter each night. The shelter receives funding from the state for 51 beds per night, the Elm Street Day Center offering respite and support during the day for the homeless population.

We haven’t seen an increase in funding in 17 years,” said John Yazwinski, president and CEO of Father Bill’s and MainSpring. “We don’t turn people away, so that’s a constant struggle.”

Perkins Park occupies a central role in the lives of many individuals facing homelessness in Brockton, serving as a refuge despite its association with substance use and violence. The park has garnered a reputation for fostering a sense of community and mutual support among its residents, offering a safe haven where mutual understanding and protection prevail. However, the stigma attached to substance use at Perkins Park has attracted increased scrutiny from law enforcement agencies, perpetuating misconceptions and challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness. The sixty-eight-year-old homeless volunteer Donna Dougherty works as a volunteer at the Keys of the Kingdom Tabernacle of Prayer, an old church close to the park. She frequently passes food through the bars of the gate that covers the front door of the church to other homeless persons. She described herself as a “gambler” despite not using illicit drugs. She experienced a severe depressive episode, was divorced, and ended up homeless. After living in the former “tent city,” after the dismantling she now spends her with her fellow homeless people at Perkins Park .Donna Dougherty’s story sheds light on the intersection of homelessness and addiction, highlighting the complexities individuals like her navigate while contending with addiction amidst their struggles for stability. Despite the availability of shelter services, reluctance persists among individuals grappling with substance use disorders to seek refuge due to restrictions on drugs and alcohol within shelters.

 

 

 

 

A trash bin located inside Perkins park label needle park

 

 

 

 

Josh Amaral, the Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of New Bedford. also highlight some of the cause of denying service due to addiction in my interview

Josh; So once you’re stable in the house, you might, you might be able to get some outpatient substance use counseling or treatment, you might be able to go see a mental health therapist, you can get on the road to education or training or enter the workforce. Again, that makes perfect sense to all of us. However, sometimes that the housing first issue is invoked, and folks basically refuse to engage with any kind of case management whatsoever. And so we worry about placing folks that are the most vulnerable into apartments, where they might refuse to participate in any case management and any services that go about addressing any of the barriers that they have to success in their life. And so it becomes kind of a difficult dynamic…….But that’s a very difficult circumstance that some of our providers face, and then particularly those that have multiple units in the same building, there’s a concern that if like one tenant is in sort of active use, and they have some problems that are coming with that, that can have a tendency to spread the other people that might be living in there. So, you know, if I had a drug addiction, and I’m clean and sober now, but my neighbor next door is still actively using, I might have an increased temptation to go over there. And so it’s a really difficult circumstance. So we try to follow the federal policy, it’s important to us to do that. And we, the phrases, everybody is housing ready, right, you don’t need to do anything to be ready to move into housing. But then the other is, you know, it’s housing first, but not housing only, you need to have some level of services provided.

The Presence of law enforcement in areas frequented by the homeless reflects broader societal perceptions and responses to homelessness and substance use. While efforts to address quality-of-life issues and crime are crucial, a nuanced approach emphasizing harm reduction and access to support services is imperative to address the multifaceted challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Perkins Park has emerged as a focal point for a marginalized community seeking solace and support, where residents have forged bonds and created a close-knit “family” within its confines. The community’s solidarity becomes evident as they shield each other from external intrusions, displaying resilience and unity in the face of adversity. While the park carries a reputation for substance use and violence, it is essential to dispel misconceptions as only a minority of Brockton’s homeless population grapples with such issues. Law enforcement maintains a vigilant presence around Perkins Park, monitoring activities within the area to address safety concerns. While some residents question the necessity of police interventions, others acknowledge the heightened risks associated with violence and drug-related incidents, underscoring the delicate balance between maintaining order and respecting the rights and dignity of individuals experiencing homelessness.

Brockton Police Department Director of Communications Darren Duarte said that “police respond to the park for medical emergencies and when receiving complaints of illegal drug activity, public drinking and other quality-of-life Issues and crimes.”

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 posed unprecedented challenges for homeless individuals in Brockton, prompting swift and innovative responses from organizations like Father Bill’s and MainSpring. The tragic loss of two homeless individuals to the virus underscored the urgent need for sustainable solutions to address homelessness amidst a global health crisis. In response to the need for social distancing, large tents were erected at Perkins Park and near the homeless shelter in Brockton, initially serving as a temporary solution to provide space for social distancing. However, logistical challenges due to inclement weather and downtown protests necessitated the relocation of approximately 60 individuals to the Rodeway Inn motel for shelter, highlighting the complexities of managing homelessness amid a pandemic. John Yazwinski, President and CEO of Father Bill’s and MainSpring, advocates for a paradigm shift in addressing homelessness in Massachusetts, emphasizing the importance of long-term housing solutions beyond traditional shelter models.

 

“People who are struggling with homelessness don’t want to be homeless,” said Yaszwinski