WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:06.080 Boston's news radio. 2 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:14.240 All right, I am delighted to welcome back to Nightside 3 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:18.160 Boston City Council Ed Flynn, former President of the Boston 4 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:24.760 City Council. He is very concerned about the I guess 5 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:27.480 the renaissance, if you will. I hate to use that word, 6 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:29.600 but I don't know what else to describe it. I 7 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:34.119 don't want to say resurrection, but the return of Mass. 8 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:37.600 And Cass ed. What is going on? Is that technically 9 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:40.399 in your district or is it just outside of your district? 10 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:47.799 Good evening, Dan to Anti directly, the Mass and Cass 11 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:52.479 section is not technically in my district, but since the 12 00:00:52.560 --> 00:01:00.000 tents came down on Atkinson Street, the crowd has moved 13 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:05.439 from that immediate area into the South End, into South Boston, 14 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:12.799 into Dorchester and the surrounding area of Roxbury Nubian Square. 15 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:16.920 So it is having a major impact on residents in 16 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:18.719 my district, which is district too. 17 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:23.719 So the specific area that we knew is Mass and 18 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:31.040 Cass still remains on devoid of this drug activity. It's 19 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:34.799 just relocated to nearby communities. Is that what's going on? 20 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:40.359 Yeah? The big the biggest crowd, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. 21 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:45.079 You will see around ten o'clock in the morning, especially 22 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:49.640 on Melnia Cass, maybe you'll see one hundred and fifty 23 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:56.920 people openly using drugs, selling drugs and other criminal activity 24 00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:58.400 takes we're talking about. 25 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:01.319 We're not talking about some people smoking, We're talking about 26 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:02.319 hard drugs. 27 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:07.959 That's correct. We're seeing people using using drugs. Needles are 28 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:14.159 everywhere in and around the four neighborhoods I mentioned, and 29 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:17.520 the area that I live near in Andrew Square is 30 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:23.639 also heavily impacted by the Mass and Mass and Casts area. Actually, 31 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:27.280 the closest MBT A stop to Mass and Casts really 32 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:29.800 is Andrew Square on the Red line. 33 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:35.639 So it seems to me that if they were able 34 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:39.960 to clear out Mass and Cass, has I want to 35 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:44.120 use the word metastasized, has this cancer that was in 36 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:48.840 one portion, you know, on one area, it's now spreading. 37 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:55.199 It is spreading, den the tense it down. But the 38 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:58.919 problem exists, and in fact, I think the prop problem 39 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:05.800 even got worse. We're allowing drug activity, drug dealing, drug trafficking, 40 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:12.759 human trafficking to continue right in those immediate areas. I 41 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:17.280 think that there needs to be a police presence, enforcement, 42 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:26.360 zero tolerance, especially for people engaged in drug trafficking and 43 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:27.360 human trafficking. 44 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:29.479 Well, I'm looking at I'm looking at the pictures in 45 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.080 at least in the Herald today. I don't know if 46 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:34.639 the Globe is picked up on the story, but the 47 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:39.199 Herald has a bias by Gala calling and you get 48 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:41.840 people there who are literally it looks to me like 49 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:48.039 either cooking something or shooting up. I kind of imagine 50 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:52.240 living in a neighborhood where this sort of activity is allowed. 51 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:55.759 Why why is the police department? And you're a pretty 52 00:03:56.080 --> 00:04:00.680 big supporter of police. I think you're not a critic 53 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:04.159 of the police department, but why are the police allowing 54 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.680 this to go on at ten o'clock in the morning 55 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:07.879 on a Saturday morning. 56 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:12.360 Yeah, Dan, it's a good question, and you are exactly right. 57 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.159 I am a big supporter of the police and our 58 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:22.480 first responders. I think we have to have a zero 59 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:28.079 tolerance policy for drug dealing activity in that area, in 60 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:32.279 really throughout the city as well. We can no longer 61 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:36.079 ignore what is taking place in our neighborhoods, and that 62 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:40.439 is open drug dealing. In drug use as well, that's 63 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:43.800 a little bit more controversial, but people that are using 64 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:47.920 drugs openly in the city. They need a detox bed, 65 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:52.759 they need medical care, they need a path to drug treatment. 66 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.279 What they don't need is to be on the streets 67 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:56.319 using drugs. 68 00:04:56.040 --> 00:04:59.319 In my opinion, Well, you know we've seen if you 69 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.839 want to call this sort of a lais a fair attitude, 70 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:07.759 which if the police department is not establishing a presence 71 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:12.279 in that community to to make sure that that community 72 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:17.639 does not become the new drug open open bazaar that 73 00:05:17.800 --> 00:05:21.360 Mass and Cass was for so many years. That's what 74 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:24.439 happened in Portland, Oregon, That's what happened in San Francisco. 75 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:28.720 And we know the stories of those cities. Are you 76 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:32.600 getting any support from and I don't want to put 77 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:34.160 you in the spot here about any support from the 78 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:36.399 mayor's office. I mean, I'm assuming that the mayor who's 79 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:41.040 coming up for reelection a year from now has to 80 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.319 be aware of this. This is She's got a lot 81 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:47.879 of hot issues on her plate, but this is one 82 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:53.560 that that I think she should be addressing. What's what's 83 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:56.720 what's going on with with the mayor's office and what's 84 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.160 going on with your colleagues and the council. 85 00:05:58.199 --> 00:05:59.959 And I don't want to turn you into a para. 86 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:01.920 I hear it all, but. 87 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:05.879 Right right now? Well, well, the Mayor's office is aware 88 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:11.240 of the situation. They are aware that this situation his 89 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:14.759 decline significantly. I think they are trying to come up 90 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.879 with a new plan for mass and cast. They realize 91 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:24.160 that the current plan that they have is not working. 92 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:28.800 It cannot continue. The human misery that we witness every 93 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:34.879 day in and around that area cannot continue. And residents 94 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:39.759 deserve better. Residents expect better. And another month, kids are 95 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:43.360 going to be going to school in and around that area, 96 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.639 and why should they have to be subjected to that 97 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.680 environment when they're going to grade school or middle school, 98 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:54.720 middle school or high school. It's not fair to them either. 99 00:06:54.759 --> 00:07:00.000 Dim The Herald article reports. It says the city appears 100 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:04.279 to be receptive at the moment to another proposal from 101 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:08.160 three other elected official state Representative John Morian, State Senator 102 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.600 Liz Miranda, and city councilor John Fitzgerald, who seeking to 103 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:16.120 implement an interim recovery campus and at the attics frequency 104 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:20.040 frequent frequenting mass and casts. They did have a recovery 105 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.959 campus out there, wasn't it the Round Hotel? If I 106 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.920 recall what they called it, a low bar recovering. 107 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.600 Yeah, the Roundhouse Hotel. That was a facility that the 108 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:36.839 city partnered I believe with the Pinestred in for housing. 109 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:42.959 But the recovery campus would be similar to what we 110 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:47.839 previously had at Long Long Island Hospital, and I was 111 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:51.920 out there frequently as a probation officer. I was a 112 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:56.360 probation officer for nine years and I supervised homeless people 113 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:58.560 on probation. So I know that I know that area 114 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:03.680 have very well, but I do have questions and concerns 115 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.959 about a recovery campus. It doesn't appear to me that 116 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:10.639 the city's in support of it or the States in 117 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:15.399 support of it. But we don't have a location identified 118 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:18.279 yet dan So if the. 119 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:20.920 Bridge, everybody remembers there was a bridge out to that 120 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:24.040 Long Island campus and that bridge doesn't exist anymore. And 121 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:26.720 there's an ongoing fight between Boston and Quincy as to 122 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:31.920 how to get you know, patients or support personnel out there. 123 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:36.080 That's correct. It's still in the court system. I think 124 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:41.080 Boston is winning some cases in court, but we're still 125 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:46.080 probably four or five years away from opening Long Island 126 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:50.399 and that's being that's being more positive. I think it's 127 00:08:50.440 --> 00:08:53.559 going to take a long time before we open Long Island, 128 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:58.399 and I have a feeling that the infrastructure over at 129 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:03.879 that location now is declining significantly, and we're going to 130 00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:06.759 need to spend millions and millions of dollars just to 131 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:10.919 rebuild the entire campus over in Long Island. 132 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:13.799 My guest is Boston City council Ed Flynn. 133 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:19.879 We're talking about mass and cass which is now migrated, metastasized, 134 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:25.320 whatever word you want, away from where it was, but 135 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:29.799 into surrounding communities. I guess some could argue it's worse 136 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:32.519 now in terms of surrounding communities than it was when 137 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:37.639 it was confined to an area which was not especially 138 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:44.480 known for single family homes or communities. So I'd love 139 00:09:44.519 --> 00:09:46.879 to hear from some of you who live in that 140 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:49.120 neck of the woods, or any of you who are 141 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:51.480 traveling in and out of Boston and have seen the 142 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:53.879 resurgence of open drug use. 143 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:57.000 I mean, we're not talking about a couple of. 144 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:58.919 Kids smoking a joint, ladies and gentlemen. 145 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:06.879 We're talking about heroin, fentanyl, injection drugs, needles on the 146 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:09.559 ground which which kids going back to school can step on. 147 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:12.159 And it just seems that that no matter what has 148 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:15.279 been done. The problem hasn't been solved, and arguably it's 149 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:18.240 gotten Morris. One member of the City Council who has 150 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.600 been first and foremost, in my mind. 151 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.279 A leader on this issue, is with us. Ed Flynn. 152 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:25.679 Feel free to call. 153 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:28.759 Make suggestions, ask questions six, one, seven, two, five, four, 154 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:32.320 ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty 155 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:35.600 will also get on, get you on as well. We'll 156 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:38.200 be back on Night's side with more conversation with City 157 00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:42.559 Councilor Ed Flynn and hopefully questions and comments and suggestions 158 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:43.879 from my audience. 159 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:46.399 How do we solve this? How do we make sure 160 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:47.720 that mass and. 161 00:10:47.720 --> 00:10:52.320 Casts doesn't become a bigger problem and that Boston starts 162 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:57.679 down a path that places like Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, Seattle, 163 00:10:57.879 --> 00:11:01.320 Washington have come to know rude to regret it. Back 164 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:02.320 on Nightside after this. 165 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:07.559 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 166 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:10.799 Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio. 167 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:14.480 Joining me is Boston City Council Ed Flynn, and we're talking. 168 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:16.440 And again, if you don't live in Boston, maybe it 169 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:21.879 doesn't affect you, but anything that impacts the hub of 170 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:26.440 New England affects all of us. And we thought at 171 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:31.639 least the problem of mass and casts had disappeared from 172 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:34.200 the headlines, and now it's back. If you read the 173 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:38.519 article by Gayla Cawley and the Boston Herald today. I 174 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:42.000 don't know that the Globe has been on this story, Ed, 175 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:48.480 but they certainly should be. There's this is nothing but 176 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:54.559 the worst humanity that you could possibly imagine. You have 177 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:57.679 to feel sorry for these people, and if getting him 178 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:02.320 into a treatment center can help them, it's got to 179 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:07.679 be done. But it just seems that this it seems 180 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:09.919 that this problem just won't just won't go away. Let 181 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:11.879 me let me get some calls in for you, Ed, 182 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:14.440 and see if there are people who have suggestions or 183 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:15.679 recommendations here. 184 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:18.919 So let me go to Brian. I was calling in 185 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.159 from Hyde Park. Brian, I appreciate you taking the time. 186 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:24.039 You were next on nights Side with city councilor flame. 187 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:24.960 Go ahead, Brian. 188 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:30.919 Hei Dani Hawaiia. It's been a while, Ed, Kools to you. 189 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.399 I appreciate everything they're doing. I was your neighbor. I 190 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:35.799 grew up on these State Street right behind your house. 191 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:38.559 Hey, it's good to hear with me, Brian. 192 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:43.080 So anyway, I'm a retired press responder for the city. 193 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:48.399 I spoke to Dain before in Long Island Hospital, and 194 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:51.519 just from my interaction with on a daily basis. When 195 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:53.840 the homeless program came out, I got on in eighty 196 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:56.879 eight and I just kind of watched it happen. But 197 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:01.159 Long Island worked. It worked. You can't walk in and 198 00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:04.759 walk out of the island. Off the island. The programs 199 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:08.320 actually worked for eyewitness and you didn't have a massive cast. 200 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:12.039 As soon as that bridge went down, it became Boston's problem. 201 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:15.879 But people need to recognize that it's a regional problem. 202 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:19.679 People come here because of the benefits and what the 203 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:22.639 treatments are. They're nowhere else, and people have to start 204 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:27.000 recognizing that at the state in several levels, that this 205 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:30.159 is all in a Boston problem. But unfortunately, I mean 206 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:33.279 the property values of all dropped in the South End 207 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:37.879 Andrew Square is I don't recognize it anymore. I drove 208 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:41.720 through there the other day and it's all he wasn't 209 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:43.519 the best spot, but you could wait for the bus 210 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:49.919 and not worry about it, you know, being confronted. It's 211 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:53.519 a shame, and I think this administration has dropped the ball. 212 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:57.279 I don't think she really has a clue what's going on. 213 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:01.799 I don't mean that in a bad way, but it's 214 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.759 it's it's just it's just ignore it and we'll go away. 215 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:08.039 And that's not happening. I mean, there's been several status 216 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:10.840 in England Square in the past month. I think there's 217 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:15.279 been three stabbings. It's absurd and it's not fair at 218 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:20.039 the community, the people that live there, uh, the everyday 219 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:26.879 citizens and there's still multiple elderly and it's just it's 220 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.759 it's just spreading. It's it's it's gonna be inn upon corner. 221 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:32.879 It's going to be an idiot but square and it's 222 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:35.399 just moving. And there's more that there's more. 223 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:37.960 Right, What would you want to see the city or 224 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:44.440 the mayor's office specifically you do, Uh. 225 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:45.559 I'd like to see them appropriate money the way it 226 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:48.799 should be appropriated. You can't keep throwing money at this problem. 227 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:52.960 But you can't throw eight million dollars on bus routes 228 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:55.720 for free for three years when three or four bus 229 00:14:55.799 --> 00:14:59.559 routes in the city, that's a that's a waste of money. Uh. 230 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:03.440 I think we all I think personally, I think we 231 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:06.000 have enough boats in this in this harbor, in this 232 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:08.799 community in the East Coast that we can get like 233 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:12.759 they've done before. It is ferry people out there. But 234 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:16.559 that that build, that complex, that campus is a beautiful complex. 235 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:20.000 It's it's a beautiful place, it really is. It's a 236 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.799 it's a jewel like all the Harbor islands are. But 237 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.799 that's falling apart, and they have to send people over 238 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:28.639 there just to make sure the generators are going to 239 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.759 the heat still onto the pipes. Don't for you, It's 240 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:34.559 just it's just a waste of money what we're doing now. 241 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:37.639 I mean, pay for the pay for the boats. 242 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:41.240 So so you're saying, you're saying people wouldn't volunteer the boats, 243 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:43.720 but they would they already pay for it. 244 00:15:44.440 --> 00:15:47.240 You paid for it before. Yeah, I mean when they 245 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:49.919 have when they opened the camp in the summertime. Yeah, 246 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:53.759 I know, you know that's as tropic venture with Jack 247 00:15:53.840 --> 00:16:00.000 corn all that. But that we have, we have the boats, 248 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.519 we have the ferries, and. 249 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:04.559 I guess you also, and I want to get in 250 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:05.200 on this too. 251 00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:09.600 If you did that and someone was to volunteer their boat, 252 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:12.120 I assume you'd have to have a police officer in 253 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:16.679 every boat to make sure that the attics didn't try 254 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:19.559 to commandeer the boat or am I talking? 255 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:23.159 Crazyl is one thing? But you know what the tea 256 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:27.000 busses did every afternoon over at Nason Cass They had 257 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.559 fifteen or twenty buses go in there and they'd all 258 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:32.320 go out to the island and they would I check 259 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:34.480 into their residents that they get it better the night, 260 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:36.960 they get a shower, they get a mail, and it 261 00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:40.000 was treatments, and you can stay there for days on 262 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:42.320 the day program, you know, thirty days. At the time 263 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.679 I witnessed this, it Long Island worked. 264 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.799 Okay, let me. 265 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:48.919 Get I want to get Ed's reaction to your suggestions, 266 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.720 because I love the suggestions and I love the specificity 267 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:52.600 of the suggestions. 268 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:55.039 Ed. What's your reaction with Brian's. 269 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:58.399 Saying, I agree with Brian. I spent a lot of 270 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:02.240 time on Long Island as a probation officer, and Brian's 271 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:05.839 exactly right. Long Island did work. They had a detox 272 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:09.240 program over there, they had residential housing over there, they 273 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:12.319 had a Pine Street in presence over there. They had 274 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:16.359 a women's facility over there, they had job training, they 275 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:19.000 had a lot of a lot of good stuff over there. 276 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:22.079 And when the bridge came down, all of all of 277 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:26.519 the people, all of the residents moved to the Mass 278 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:29.240 and Cast area. And then I think Brian is right. 279 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:35.440 People come to Boston literally throughout throughout the country, especially 280 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:40.039 New England when they have a substance use issue because 281 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:45.640 they know Boston in Massachusetts are compassionate and that you 282 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:48.960 will get services, you will get housing, you will get 283 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:55.119 medical care and food in shelter. But Dan, I just 284 00:17:55.240 --> 00:18:01.160 think the city in state just can't afford that any longer. 285 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:09.279 It's very expensive, and Boston is a generous city, but 286 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:14.039 at some point we have to say we can't accept 287 00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:18.160 everybody coming to Boston. We're beyond that point. We can't 288 00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:21.960 do it any longer. We have a crisis in my opinion, 289 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:26.440 at Mass and Casts, and Brian is right. Andrew Square, 290 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:31.960 where I live, not too far from that area, is declining. 291 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:38.119 Nubian Square especially is seeing a lot of the homeless 292 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:42.920 living in and around Nubian Square area throughout the South End. 293 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:48.200 The area in Dorchester across from Victoria Diner as well. 294 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:55.000 That's also significantly impacted at Whatever Square as well. Up 295 00:18:55.039 --> 00:19:00.680 in Dorchester. The kids can't use the parks, they're afraid 296 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:04.119 of needles. You can't play baseball, you can't play football. 297 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.720 There's a park over there called Clifford Park, right, I 298 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:08.279 think that's been really impacted. 299 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:12.640 Yeah, that's that's right across from Victoria Dina and the 300 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:16.480 city is going to invest money into the park, but 301 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.119 right now the kids can't play sports there because it's 302 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:23.640 it's a lot of homeless openly using using drugs in 303 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.119 the park. 304 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:28.920 Bok We Park also which is used by on a 305 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:29.720 weekly basis. 306 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:32.599 All right, well, look Brian, you you you have some 307 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:35.720 experience with it. You made some specific recommendations. Want to 308 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:37.400 hear what other people have to say on it. And 309 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:39.200 thanks so much for listening to night Side. And we 310 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:43.240 should become a more frequent call because you actually gave 311 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:44.279 some ideas. 312 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:48.079 It's been a few it's been a few few months, 313 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:48.799 but I'll be back. 314 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:51.480 Thanks Brian, and thanks Brian, thank you for calling. 315 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:52.799 Thanks for your service. 316 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:55.680 Take a quick break et get more phone calls here, folks. 317 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:57.480 If you'd like to join the conversation, if you have 318 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:01.799 an idea, six one seve ten thirty, there's one line 319 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:03.319 there and I got a couple of lines at six 320 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:08.319 one seven nine three one ten thirty. I'd love to 321 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:11.160 hear from you as to what the city can do. 322 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:14.400 This problem has not gone away. Maybe it was out 323 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.799 of sight for a while, but it has not gone away, 324 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:19.279 and it has to be addressed, and it has to 325 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:22.880 be addressed effectively, and by ignoring it that is not 326 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:25.960 a solution. We'll be back with Boston City councilor Ed 327 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:29.440 Flynn and more phone calls right after the news at 328 00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:30.400 the bottom of the hour. 329 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:38.920 You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's 330 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.599 news radio. 331 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:43.039 All right, my guest is Ed Flynn, Boston City Council. 332 00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:47.079 We're talking about the re emergence in a slightly different 333 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:50.880 location of the group of people who had befuddled the 334 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:56.920 city for years with open air drug bizarre market bizarre 335 00:20:57.000 --> 00:21:00.559 I guess would be one or a buzzar at Mass 336 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:03.799 and Cass and now it's moved. I love to hear 337 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:06.240 from you, particularly if you're living in Boston. We sparked. 338 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:09.000 We spoke with Brian from Hyde Park. If you're impacted 339 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:11.839 by this, your voice needs to be heard. And if 340 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:14.079 you're happy with what's been going on down there, don't 341 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.079 bother to call in, however, or if you are happy, 342 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:19.720 you call in. If you're unhappy, love to hear from you. 343 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:22.680 Let me go first outside of Boston to Mike and Beverly. 344 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:25.359 Mike next on nice side with Boston's City council ed Flynn, 345 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:28.920 right head, Mike, Hey, can you hear me? 346 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:31.039 We can hear you. Just fine, go right ahead. 347 00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:34.400 Hey, So, as a person in long term recovery, I'll 348 00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:39.200 be seventeen year clean and SEPTEMBA congratulation situation I knew 349 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:43.200 was does not go away like that. Then you know 350 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:49.200 it needs treatment, further treatment. It does not work right 351 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:52.400 just running a machine and like file on people over 352 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:57.039 Those are my people's bathers, sisters, cousins down there, and 353 00:21:57.119 --> 00:22:00.359 I know it. You know, you guys don't understand how 354 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:04.279 hot it is to stay clean. It's very difficult not 355 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:07.119 to use a day at a time, and you know 356 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:10.240 it's Shaff's comans don't only want to pay for a 357 00:22:10.359 --> 00:22:14.599 seven day spend dry and there's no treatment, they say 358 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:19.200 for a smoke and crack and cocaine, And unfortunately that's 359 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:21.400 what a lot of us going down down there, and 360 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:24.680 the heroin and that sort of stuff. I understand that, 361 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:28.000 but you know the way they're going about it is 362 00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:32.400 like they're spending all that money being illegals, not helping 363 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:35.640 the people had there today. That's about that kissed me 364 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:38.119 off that they knew what was gonna come back around 365 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:40.119 and it doesn't just go away like that. 366 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:44.480 Okay, let's let's get let's get a quick comment that Dan. Yeah. 367 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:48.160 No, first of all, congratulations. In seventeen years, I've had 368 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:50.559 friends of mine who have been in your situation, people 369 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.839 who I know and respect and. 370 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:52.440 Who I love. 371 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:55.319 Uh And I can't tell you how happy I am 372 00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:58.359 that people like you can beat this, get this monkey 373 00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:02.920 off your back. We're spending a billion dollars a year 374 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:06.839 on folks who are coming into Massachusetts because of our 375 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:10.039 right the shelter law, and billion this year, billion next year. 376 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:14.000 I think that Mike is correct that there's going to 377 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:16.880 have to be some funding here to help some of 378 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:20.440 these people get clean and stay clean. What what's your 379 00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:21.920 reaction to what Mike had to say? 380 00:23:23.160 --> 00:23:27.599 Well, I wanted to say first congratulations to Mike on 381 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:33.119 his sobriety, but I also wanted I also wanted to 382 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:38.279 highlight that, you know, Dan, I was a probation officer 383 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:42.799 for nine years and my number one job really was 384 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:46.279 trying to get people on probation into drug treatment that 385 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:49.759 we're using. And many times I'd bring them to the 386 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:55.119 judge or to the clerk magistrate, and I'd be lucky 387 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:58.359 enough if I could get them into a drug treatment program. 388 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:00.960 To be honest with you, most of the time the 389 00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:06.319 detalks that'd be clean and sober for a period of time, 390 00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:10.519 and most of the time unfortunately relapsed. But I never 391 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:13.279 gave up on them. But after a period of time, 392 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:19.519 eventually a few of them got clean and sober. It's 393 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:25.079 perseverance and it's supporting people that have substance use issues. 394 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:31.759 But leaving someone on Melania cass for seven hours on 395 00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:36.279 a Saturday or a Sunday throughout the week also using drugs, 396 00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:40.519 is not the answer. They need to be in detox, 397 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:43.440 they need to be in a recovery program, a path 398 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:47.359 to recovery, and people that are preying on them drug dealers, 399 00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:52.079 they need to be arrested and prosecuted and do mandatory 400 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:58.400 prison time. In my opinion, the inhumanity that is taking 401 00:24:58.440 --> 00:25:02.000