Boston

Shelter set to help about 25 families in Fort Point

A new emergency shelter for migrant families in need of housing is about to open in Boston's Fort Point neighborhood

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Migrant families who need housing are getting ready to move into a building in the Fort Point neighborhood of Boston.

Their impending arrival at the new Farnsworth Street shelter comes with criticism that neighbors had no say.

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"The process and the community process itself were lousy," said City Councilor Ed Flynn. "There was no residential or community input."

Flynn represents residents living in the area.

"Boston is a very compassionate city, but at some point, we just don't have the resources or the money to continue welcoming everybody in," he said.

According to the plan, the building will be used for overnight shelter. There's room for about 25 families.

During the day, the families will be taken by vans to local YMCAs and community centers.

"I would say transportation and traffic are issues that we have to watch closely," said Flynn.

Members of Boston's Fort Point community took part in a discussion of the emergency migrant shelter coming to their neighborhood.

The space in the building is owned by the Unitarian Universalist Association.

"We have the moral obligation to support vulnerable families, including migrant families," the organization said in a statement. "Every child deserves a safe place to sleep, and we are pleased to do our part to help them."

The association says cots and supplies were delivered to the building Monday. The migrants will be moving in at some point this week.

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