Questions continue to grow on where to shelter unhoused migrants in Massachusetts.
With the newly opened shelter in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood nearly full, eyes are now turning to a new part of the city for a shelter. That area is Boston's Seaport.
The Fort Point office building could be next. This is a private building with 10,000 square feet of space and the owner, after being contacted by the state, apparently said they were interested in converting this into a short-term housing facility.
City officials notified the Fort Point neighborhood that the state was considering this as a safety-net site for migrants because the shelter Roxbury is nearing capacity.
The Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex on MLK Jr Boulevard in Roxbury opened last week to accommodate up to 100 migrant families of four. However, this week more than 90 families are now in there.
"At some point, we just are not able to sustain everyone that wants to come here. The situation we have now just can’t continue and we have to make some major and dramatic decisions over the next several months," said Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn.
While a decision hasn't been made or finalized on the Fort Port building, "conversations and potential arrangements are being made." In the meantime, state leaders said they have not stopped searching for the next overflow site.
State Sen. Nick Collins, a Democrat in the First Suffolk District, mentioned UMass Amherst's Mount Ida Campus in Newton as a possible option, as he said there seems to be dorm space that is not being used.
NBC10 Boston reached out to the office of Gov. Maura Healey, which said that the campus is not a viable option and that the state is continuing to evaluate sites.
