Tents To House Homeless Go Up On Waltham Common

WALTHAM, MA — People experiencing homelessness in Waltham are about to have an additional place to sleep, while safely practicing social distancing, according to Bob Mills of the Middlesex Human Services Agency, which operates three emergency shelters in the city.

Two tents went up Friday, a week after Patch first inquired with the city about plans to help people experiencing homelessness. The mayor said Monday a plan was in the works but did not elaborate.

One of the tents will be operated by the Middlesex Human Services Agency, as an extension of the Bristol Lodge Men's Shelter, which has a capacity of 45, but hasn't been big enough to allow guests to properly practice social distancing.

"Our agency is working closely with the City of Waltham, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)," according to a statement from the local agency.

The shelter on the common will consist of a 4,000-square-foot, heated and powered tent with cots serving up to 30 men. The plan is for the tents to open to guests Monday night and be open from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. If there is inclement weather on a given day, the tent will stay open for that day, according to a spokesperson for the Middlesex Human Services Agency.

"Early in March, the Commonwealth began intensive planning for how to deliver services to the homeless while keeping them safe and preventing the spread of Covid-19," Mills said. "They reached out to service providers, including MHSA. MHSA identified options for additional capacity that would enable it to adhere to CDC social distancing guidelines. The city was brought into that process and identified the site on the Common. It was collaborative."

Carolyn Montalto of the Waltham Community Day Center a grass roots advocacy and resource center for people experiencing homelessness in the community said her organization was not made aware of the plans.

"I'm excited about it though," she said.

Ward 8 City Councilor Cathyann Harris, who works closely with the Middlesex Human Services Agency for needs in her ward, said the tents were coordinated through the mayor's office and erected to ensure safe social distancing and CDC regulations were being followed.

Harris said a Waltham interagency network (WIN) comprised of dozens of agencies, trying to help ensure families and the displaced have food and needs met during this state of emergency, is also working to ensure all residents in the community are cared for.

"Think about this: This was not even on the radar a month or two ago," said Harris "The city of Waltham, its leadership and agencies have come together in a way that shows how connected we all are. [The tents have been put up] in response to need, and with the right timing."

Patch has reached out to the mayor.

This article will be updated

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