Dozens of families were forced to hastily uproot from their emergency shelter in Boston after a mold infestation was discovered at the Brighton facility, causing distress among the many migrants and locals who called it home. The state had to urgently intervene, relocating the affected 24 families to temporary housing while the mold is cleared out, NBC10 Boston reported.
Reports indicate that residents had been complaining about these unhealthy living conditions to both Catholic Charities, which runs services at the shelter, and the state officials for months. However, the pleas appeared to have fallen on deaf ears until now. One of the residents, Kimrah Minuty, told NBC10 Boston, "I started noticing there were spots on our walls and air conditioning units had black stuff on it." Her daughter, previously healthy, now requires an inhaler, she claimed. Thomas Kearney shared a similar story with the Boston Globe, mentioning his concerns about the harmful environment for his cancer-afflicted 9-year-old son.
In response to the mold discovery, Kevin Connor from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities has stated, "As soon as we were made aware of mold at this site, we took steps to temporarily relocate the families and directed the operator of the facility to remediate the situation," as per the NBC10 Boston's report. Yet, the statement contrasts starkly with residents' accounts who allege that they had been reporting these problems for a considerable time.
The shelter in question, located at the former Charles River Motel, is managed by Catholic Charities and owned by JHM River LLC. While JHM River has not responded to inquiries, Dot Joyce, a spokesperson for Catholic Charities, clarified their role to the Boston Globe, “It’s not our building. It’s not our lease. We run the program.” The confusion and frustration among residents come as Massachusetts, the only state that guarantees families a “right to shelter," grapples with housing an increasing number of homeless families and migrants.
Edward Contreras, a single father and shelter resident, told the Boston Globe, "I'm furious." He believes the mold has been affecting his children's health, after one of them had to be rushed to the hospital due to an infection. Sadly, this is one of many stories emerging from the shelter, where residents like Katherin Franco Bautista have been forced to move multiple times due to various unsatisfactory conditions, further disrupting the already fragile lives of those seeking a safe haven. As the state shells out an estimated $2 million this fiscal year for the leased rooms, according to its contract with JHM River LLC.
