There is an increased police presence at Green and Magazine streets in Cambridge’s Central Square. These officers watched over the intersection Thursday. (Photo: Marc Levy)
The recent green light for anticrime cameras and upgrades to a well-known plaza in Central Square might help make life better in one of Cambridge’s roughest areas.
Although several busy spots around Central Square will get these new cameras, the corner of Green and Magazine streets and nearby blocks have regularly had the city’s highest crime rates.
This area saw the most reports last year for drug crimes, simple and aggravated assaults, street robberies, and threats – though street robberies have dropped by 31 percent overall in the past nine months compared with 2023, according to the police department’s monthly Bridge Stat report.
Also, there was a homicide near this spot last Thanksgiving, just a block south of Green and Magazine.
People living in the Holmes Building overlooking Carl Barron Plaza and that corner met for about an hour and a half on Tuesday to talk about their worries regarding Central Square. Vice Mayor Marc Mc Govern, City Councillor Cathie Zusy, Police Commissioner Christine Elow, someone from the city’s unarmed response team who helps vulnerable folks, plus heads from departments like Public Works and Human Services all showed up.
Feeling unsafe
Theodora Francis from Franklin Street in Central Square was at that meeting. She’s gathering signatures for a letter to send to the mayor, governor, and anyone else who might help: “We’re even going to send it to President Biden,” Francis said.
“The sharp rise in the number of substance abusers and pushers, along with homeless people intoxicated day and night, has reached an intolerable level,” the letter says. “It is becoming unsafe to pass through the Square.”
Lucia Huntington lives nearby too. She often sees people openly using drugs right out on the street during daylight hours. She told about a friend who saw someone hit another person with a chain over drugs.
“I have a 3 year-old daughter,” she said. “I do not go out at night with her.”
Huntington mostly wants stricter action against where drugs are coming from but also feels open drug use should be policed more closely.
“I’m after some kind of punitive stuff, but mostly, if you can discover where some of this stuff is coming from, get rid of it,” Huntington said.
Plaza renovations
City of Cambridge
A rendering shows what Carl Barron Plaza will look like when finished near Central Square’s Red Line station with Green Street visible on the right side. (Image: City of Cambridge)
Fixing up that corner near the subway is part of an ongoing city project. They plan to add more lights and seats around Carl Barron Plaza plus along River Street’s sidewalk; but don’t expect it done until late 2025. The anticrime cameras approved back in September by City Council should be installed much sooner-probably within two months or so.
Michael Monestime leads the Central Square Business Improvement District. He doesn’t want to dismiss those “suffering in place,” but he finds all illegal activity-especially drug selling-a big problem here. “I think it’s fine that people are hanging out there, but active use is a problem,” he explained.
Monestime thinks adding more social services would really help meet some needs around here.
“A lot of people think Central Square is service rich,” he noted,”but I actually think it’s lacking adequate services.”
Francis herself used to work as a substance abuse counselor; she agrees there aren’t enough rehab spots or places where homeless folks can spend time during daytime instead of staying on streets or libraries.
“Give people another option”
Mc Govern lives just one block away himself-and calls this corner especially tricky because narrow streets plus construction make things crowded; he remembers downtown being grittier back since the ’70s-and way more so recently too-adding,“That corner has become more like a hangout spot for folks who’d usually be at plaza.” “But this issue goes way beyond just where folks hang.”
He wants what he’s pushed before-a daytime drop-in center where unhoused residents can find shelter.
“You’ve got to give people another option,” Mc Govern said plainly.
“As hard as it may feel walking by them,” he continued,”it’s far worse for these folks sitting outside when it’s super hot or freezing cold ’cause we don’t offer anything else.”
Such centers wouldn’t just be open rooms-they’d let unhoused individuals shower up, take care laundry, and get connected with health care, state ID, housing aid, and other social support.
Mc Govern plans keeping up pressure on council members:“I’m going keep pushing till we get support.”
He also backs overdose prevention sites moving drug use off streets plus expanding local addiction recovery programs-but warns not focusing only on Central Square since problems spread across town including neighbors.
Police and services
While Mc Govern believes cameras & added police patrols may cut down open drug sales & violence, it could just push problems somewhere else. He already noticed some moving slightly away toward little parks like Mc Elroy & James P. Cronin parks bordering Riverside neighborhood.
“These are bigger issues all cities deal with,” he said bluntly.”I don’t want arrests just ‘cause folks are homeless or mentally ill. That ain’t how caring communities act. But you can’t let kids see open drug deals either.”
Last year city held roundtable about these challenges. Elow shared police reach out weekly to 50-100 unhoused locals offering social help.
At Green & Magazine specifically police doubled “park & walk” patrols since last year. Police spokesperson Robert Goulston reported arrests almost doubled-from 13 up to 22-for drugs & warrants mainly.
Two officers regularly walk through central square focusing more on linking people with resources or shelter than arrests. Goulston emphasized helping first over punishment.
The business factor
The 1369 Coffee House staff are trained how to handle overdoses if they happen nearby.(Photo: Marc Levy)Open-air drug use along with trash left behind hurts local businesses too. But Monestime pointed out many owners show surprising empathy. For example, the owner Josh Gerber at 1369 Coffee House trained his crew howto use Narcan-the lifesaving medicine for overdoses.
Monestime also feels once plaza renovation finishes, nuisance behavior will ease up.“It’s mostly just time now,”he added.
He praised cops’ balance-not too heavy handed nor ignoring issues. Hopes new cameras discourage dealers selling drugs openly there.
Green Street lacks dining spots & social hangouts that keep Massachusetts Ave lively nearby. Green Street Grill, a longtime favorite shut down during pandemic hasn’t reopened yet. The Greek American Political Club next door hosts occasional events like Havana Club weeknights-a rare nightlife option for younger crowd aged18-21.
“If restaurants & bars were buzzing there, it’d change vibe completely,”Mc Govern commented.“Right now that block seems only kids goingto taekwondo classesand folks waiting at bus stop.”
Source link
