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Coordinated Response Team

Working to better serve unsheltered neighbors experiencing substance use disorder centered in the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, also known as ‘Mass and Cass’. 

In recent years, the opioid epidemic, the housing crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an increase in those experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Mass and Cass.

To address these intersecting crises in January 2022, under Mayor Wu’s leadership, the City carried out a public health-led emergency response to the encampments in the area including introducing a housing surge and helping over 145 unhoused neighbors transition into low threshold housing. 

Currently, the City’s Coordinated Response Team (CRT) is working with twelve City agencies and departments to continue to transform how the City of Boston cares for its unhoused neighbors that are impacted by substance use disorder and promote health and safety in Mass and Cass’s surrounding communities.

The CRT continues to follow a public health-led approach and is guided by:

  1. The City’s Long Term Strategic Outlook plan 
  2. Regularly updated Data Dashboard
  3. Low Threshold Transitional Housing Initiative
  4. The City's Unlawful Camping Ordinance
  5. Our Advocacy priorities and efforts

Ways to Help

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