Protect Franklin Park & Its Neighbors
Help Stop the Shattuck Hospital Redevelopment Proposal
A group led by Boston Medical Center (BMC), with provisional approval from the Commonwealth, has put forward a plan to develop 851+ treatment and supportive housing units/beds for those struggling with mental health and opioid use disorders at the Shattuck Hospital site. It has potential to bring 1,000+ people daily to Franklin Park, who are in various stages of recovery and drug use. CORES (Coalition for Region-wide Services Beyond Franklin Park) is one of many groups coming together with volunteers from Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester and Jamaica Plain committed to stopping the current plan. BMC has indicated they are changing the plan but not shared any details with the community. We want to support real recovery with services throughout the state where families need help and not just burdening communities of color because its expedient.
Too Concentrated & Wrong Mix
This is not affordable housing. It provides 525 supportive housing units without requiring sobriety and/or clients being in treatment–a recipe for disaster. Also of concern for those living in the complex is the mix of those actively using alongside those attempting recovery including families with children. Learn more.
Unduly burdening communities of color.
Opioid use disorder is everyone’s problem. Nearly 50% of those using opioids in the Mass and Cass area come from outside of Boston. Yet the state expects Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Mattapan and Dorchester—the zip codes with the highest percentages of people of color in Boston—to bear the brunt of the state burden. Learn more.
Process is flawed
The review process has been fundamentally flawed (see timeline) by not including the feedback of surrounding residents and communities in a genuine way. Learn more.
What people are saying
“These communities already carry the burden for most of Boston in providing recovery services and affordable housing but this plan is the straw that breaks the camel’s back,”
— Louis Elisa, Roxbury Resident & Leader of Garrison Trotter Neighborhood Association.
“This proposal is INHUMANE and will grossly HARM people whose struggle with addiction DEEPLY concerns us, whether they are our OWN community neighbors and family members or come from ELSEWHERE,”
— Derrick Evans, Substance Use Disorder Street Worker and Advocate.
“Is that ideal?,’ I would say probably not.”
— Jim O’Connell President of Healthcare for the Homeless Programs and part of BMC’s coalition in Boston Globe article.
“We need our elected officials to step to the plate and tackle this universal problem with a regional solution. It’s going to take a moonshot to solve, not relying on the old model of concentrating services in communities of color,”
– Michelle Davis, Jamaica Plain resident and retired health care executive.
Contact us
I would like to learn more and become involved.
CORES - Coalition for Region-wide Services 