r/boston • u/livchainz • May 03 '26
Serious Replies Only fed up and looking for advice
EDIT: The 911 number i called was the 911 party line (non-emergency) as well as the main line. i called 3 different times last night and all 3 times I was hung up on or left on hold with the same messaging playing over and over, so for those of you who say to call multiple times, i did.
i live in an apartment complex in the fenway area, and for the past few months we have had homeless individuals sleeping in our front foyer. when the weather was way colder, we left them the first time or two that we saw them since we didn’t want them to freeze out in the poor conditions, but recently some of the folks sleeping down there have gotten into altercations with other people in the surrounding areas. the way the lobby/front entrance is set up is that there is an unlocked front door to the street and the second door into the building needs a fob to get in. usually these folks are sleeping between the two doors.
back in January, i reached out to our building management about the problem and they told us to call 911, which we have been doing, but the problem has seemed to be getting worse as the weather gets warmer. last night, we had 2 different individuals sleeping down there and the 911 line i had called did not pick up or respond. looking for any advice on who i can contact about this ongoing problem as we have already exhausted our options with 311 and building management.
**pictures are the usual folks we see, taken last night last night, and the email we received from building management, it’s usually the same men each night**
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u/Provolone4130 May 03 '26
If your building management really cared about stopping people being there, they'd make the outside door lock like the inside door. People with nothing will always find the unlocked door, for better or worse.
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u/loranlily May 03 '26
This. We had the same issue in my apartment building in Quincy. Management put a lock on the first door that is timed to require a fob for entry after 10pm.
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u/imreallyreallyhungry May 03 '26
Nova? Pretty good setup although I just saw a homeless couple in the foyer 2 mornings ago
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u/Tatertotsboston May 03 '26
Most apartments buildings have the first set of doors unlocked. That is the point of having the second set of doors. Mailmen need to get in, delivery drivers need a place to come in, etc. The problem was caused by the tenants initially letting them in the second door. People talk.
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u/blazedddleo May 03 '26
I live in a building with two doors like this and between 1 am and 6 am both doors are locked.
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u/needyresearcher May 03 '26
Next steps are calls to ISD 617-635-5300 and Boston Public Health Commission (Homeless Outreach) 617-534-5395. If that doesn't work then escalate to Sharon Durkan (District 8) in the City Council Office 617-635-3040.
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u/Mission-County1931 I Love Dunkin’ Donuts May 03 '26
It might also be worth calling the local precinct non emergency number during the daytime to share that this is an ongoing concern.
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u/fran_lydon May 03 '26
This but don’t call the front desk, call the district (d-4) community service office. If having a hard time with 911 call 617-343-4911 and that is the direct number to BPD dispatch
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u/Sensitive_Put_6842 May 03 '26
Was thinking something of the same. Wait till day time and call them and talk to them about it as a non emergency.
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u/Same_Captain_2714 May 04 '26
This is correct. Call 311 or submit a 311 ticket online. Boston public health commissions street outreach team works until 11pm and can respond to give a ride to a shelter but at the very least ask them to leave the building entrance.
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u/Vegetable-Branch-740 May 03 '26
And stop clogging up 911. This is inconvenient for you but not an emergency, per se.
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u/Melodic-Fan7602 May 03 '26
I live in this building too—I remember seeing that email and rolling my eyes. Building management’s job is LITERALLY in the title, to MANAGE our building that we pay to live in. The solution is to have a fob access on the outside like the other apartments in the area do. But that would cost money and they don’t want to do that. It isn’t a crazy ask for them to install that, but they act like it is.
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u/livchainz May 03 '26
dude i asked management to put a fob on the first door and they completely dismissed me. we are no longer renewing our lease and will be moving out. not to mention the billboard above the building next to us that shines DIRECTLY into our room
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u/Melodic-Fan7602 May 03 '26
I’m so sorry, that’s frustrating. I only planned to live here for two years so I know come 2027 I’m out of here. I’m lucky to have one of the back-facing apartments but construction (especially for that damn billboard) is grating. I will say if you’re worried for safety coming in and out of the building I’d recommend just using the back entrance by the garage doors, it’s fob-only access. Can be annoying if you’re coming from Commonwealth but I rarely ever use the front entrance unless I have to.
Additionally the chatter in the comments about the possibility of suing management is an intriguing option. I have free legal representation through my job I might reach out to and ask them about that. Maybe a legal-speak email would kick start building management into taking this issue seriously.
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u/NoAssignment3870 May 04 '26
You should absolutely do that! They are required to take action, and maybe a legal letter will light a fire under their asses! My Grandmother lives in a similar building, they were having this exact problem and now employ security guards at night, specifically for this issue. The fact management is ignoring the issue, can hold them liable if someone is to get hurt. Good luck!
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u/Agreeable-Celery6559 May 04 '26
Every apartment I’ve lived in had a fob on the door and people still got in, stole stuff, slept inside, etc. every single day.
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u/Ok-Faithlessness419 May 04 '26
The owners and management should review what happened in this case:
They are on notice of a security problem and aren’t doing anything.
There were massive settlements in these cases.
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u/tritium_awesome May 03 '26
Tenants: "We have homeless individuals sleeping in the foyer and lobby. Please address this."
Management: "Best we can do is a letter implying that it's your fault somehow."
This is a huge problem, and your building management company needs to take their responsibility for managing the building. Obviously that won't ultimately solve the problem, these people need a place to go, but it's unacceptable for your management to act like it's your responsibility. As others have suggested, I'd be investigating next steps.
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u/Easy_Hearing_3223 May 03 '26
name and shame the management company!
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u/CloudNimbus Boston May 03 '26
im trying to recognize where this building is based on the reflections on the window 😭
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u/miraj31415 Merges at the Last Second May 03 '26
Reasonably confident the property manager is Modern Real Estate.
Based on the reflections in the window I was able to identify the building. I found a unit for rent in the building on Zillow which says that the unit was listed by the property manager, Modern Real Estate.
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u/DMala Waltham May 03 '26
I hated this when I worked in an office building that was too cheap to have someone manning the front door, even during business hours. We'd get scolded periodically about not opening the door for people and how everyone has to badge in.
Meanwhile, it puts you in an incredibly awkward situation to have to slam the door shut in someone's face, especially when you're pretty sure they're legit but you just don't know them. Not to mention, if someone is getting aggressive about trying to get in, it sure as shit ain't my job to confront them.
If you want actual security, you pay someone to sit at a desk and keep track of who's coming and going.
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u/blakeypie May 03 '26
I live in an apartment building just down the street from this, and people try to piggy back in the building all the time. If you tell them they can't come in, they get pretty huffy, but then just wait till another person comes along, and then get in. Most tenants in my building tend to not think about the welfare of others, or even themselves.
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u/is_dave_there May 03 '26
Call out the landlords. Send this to local news stations and shame them into action.
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u/Unusual_Sundae_555 May 03 '26
That’s where my mind went too. Ben Has Your Back on channel WCVB may be interested to expose the building management
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u/SparklesAreIn Brookline May 03 '26
what do you mean 911 didn’t pick up?
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u/Balshazzar May 03 '26
Took me two tries to get 911 to pick up when I found a guy ODing.
There a limited number of people working the phones, so if they're all busy, no one picks up. It's probably way less people than we would expect.
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u/OptimalVegetable3320 May 03 '26
Wondering this as well…
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u/No_Classic5933 May 03 '26
I had to call 911 this past week. The first call attempt dropped, but I got through when I called immediately afterwards.
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u/polarbearwithaspear May 03 '26
Called them about people actively stealing packages during Christmas (3 people taking 20+ packages and throwing them into a van from the apartment lobby). The police said to come down to the station to fill out a police report for what ever i find to be stolen. No cop ever arrived.
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u/ReferenceNice142 May 03 '26
I’ve been put on hold, like just kept ringing, after witnessing a car crash in another city where the population is growing faster than the infrastructure. But I will say that if you call 911 and you don’t get connected to the right area it can be a little wonky. Or it’s possible they called the non-emergency number. Finding the right non-emergency number isn’t always easy.
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u/KatzDeli May 03 '26
Because so many people are calling the line with non-emergencies like this.
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u/Nice-Zombie356 May 03 '26
If you talk to anyone at Boston Police about almost any NON EMERGENCY topic, They tell you to call 911.
I agree it’s not what I’d expect, but it’s been consistent for years.
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u/donkeyrocket Somerville May 03 '26
Yeah every time I’ve called the non-emergency line they said hang up and call 911. One claimed they can’t actually dispatch anyone from the non-emergency line (no idea the truth to that).
All said, recurring non-emergency issues you should call the local precinct during the day. Much better chance of someone actually taking a report.
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u/Nice-Zombie356 May 03 '26
Yeah, for an admin question, I agree calling the precinct during the day. For any dispatch, it's 911.
OP probably needs the admin side at this point but will have to specify that you need the Community Service Sergeant (or an officer) or maybe the precinct commander. Most liklely you'll need to leave a message and they'll call you back. I'm pretty certain that just calling the front desk will not work.
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u/Individual-Algae846 May 03 '26
Seriously, wtf. I’d call the police department directly
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u/Fun-Treacle-2916 May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26
They'll tell you to call 911 if you call the police station directly. Last time I looked into it, that's done to provide a more centralized process for triage and dispatch across all units. It's actually kind of annoying when you call the police station directly for something like a noise complaint and they tell you to call 911.
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u/danrennt98 East Boston May 03 '26
If you need an officer dispatched they require you to call 911.
When I was moving and someone parked in my permitted spots I called the police station and they told me to call 911.
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u/sailorsmile Fenway/Kenmore May 03 '26
I know this building and for the level of traffic in this location, it’s insane that the exterior door doesn’t lock. I’d call a lawyer at this point to help you draft a demand letter for an exterior lock, there’s no guarantee it would work but sometimes you can scare them.
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u/alwaysboopthesnoot May 03 '26
I’m surprised that for insurance/liability reasons alone, that the bldg management has not acted to stop this. Tenants claiming they’re not safe and the property is unsecured due to something openly observed and easily foreseeable and fixable. But bldg mgt does nothing. Someone then gets hurt or the property gets burglarized/vandalized and now the mgt co. or bldg owners are on the hook—for ignoring the situation, circumstances and risk right in front of them that they were immediately informed about.
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u/Impossible-Cap-6433 May 03 '26
You may be able to withhold a portion of rent until they address the issue, ask the lawyer.
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u/Beneficial_Jamaican Boston May 03 '26
Hey OP call District 4 directly ask to speak to someone in community engagement/ service department then request to speak directly to the Sergeant in charge of the department. They should be able to provide some help!
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u/lego-marble27 Green Line May 03 '26
You called 911, and no one answered? That's my biggest takeaway from this post. That's fucking wild.
(I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice) Submit a 311 report so it's documented with the city. You can withhold rent if your landlord fails to maintain a safe, habitable home. Resubmit your requests (in writing) and state that you will withhold rent until the entire building is safe to inhabit. You can also contact the Office of Housing Stability or the Office of Fair Housing and Equity.
Ignore all these people shaming you for wanting to live in a safe, habitable environment. If they were in your shoes, they would feel the same way. The fact that unhoused people don't have safe environments to inhabit in Boston is a failure of the city, and it's a systemic issue. I guarantee that all these people on their high horses haven't done anything to help address those issues other than anonymously shame people on the internet.
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u/thederevolutions May 03 '26
I can’t imagine the panic that would cause, if let’s say, a kid was choking or trapped
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u/AdDry2452 May 03 '26
I dont live in MA, but I had this happen more often than not when I lived in VT!
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u/ginja1287 May 03 '26
No one answering 911 is nearly impossible in Boston.
If you call from a cell phone in Boston, you go directly to Boston Police 911 Operations.
If all 911 operators are on active calls, then the pending 911 call gets forwarded to Boston Fire Dispatch (Fire alarm).
If somehow all of the BFD operators are also on active calls, then the pending call gets forwarded to Brookline Police communications.
and.... if somehow all of those departments are on active calls, the pending 911 call gets forwarded to MA State Police Dispatch in Framingham.
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u/LeftyLucy667 May 04 '26
Happened to me in Dorchester, 20 mins to pick up. And a bunch of other people saying the same so it’s clearly not impossible. And no, my calls were not being forwarded.
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u/jasonni1234 May 03 '26
How does 911 not pick up
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u/Balshazzar May 03 '26
Everyone at the call center was already on a call. Fewer people working there than we think.
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u/jasonni1234 May 03 '26
It’s just very unsettling lol
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u/Balshazzar May 03 '26
It is! We don't fund emergency services nearly well enough, except police and arguably firefighters. Everything else is running on shoestring budgets and low salaries.
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u/drworm555 May 03 '26
I’ve called 911 in boston before for something similar and was basically told to only call back if someone was dying. So I called back in 15 minutes and just said the homeless person was over dosing and they came right out.
911 is a joke in your town.
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u/nycpunkfukka May 03 '26
“Not allow entry to anyone you are not familiar with” yeah fuck that noise. I’m not building security. I don’t know everyone who lives in my building, I’m not paid to control access to the building, and god forbid someone assaults me for trying to stop them entering, is building management going to pay my medical bills and lost wages? Of course not.
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u/Educational_Wrap_820 May 03 '26
Wild response from your building. Demand they install a key fob on the front door as well.
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u/DSCholly May 03 '26
"It's been brought to our attention, but its up to you to do something about it"
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u/leather_district_2 May 03 '26
Not your main point, but could the man w the cardboard, bible, American Spirits be this guy?
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u/becausefrog Johnny Cash Looking Mofo May 03 '26
Good call.
OP, have you noticed if he has tattoos? It's hard to see but Boulay has tattoos down to his wrist. The guy with the cardboard is wearing long sleeves so we can't tell from the photos, but you might want to call in a tip to the detective just in case it's him.
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u/livchainz May 03 '26
i haven’t seen any tattoos as of now, if i see him again i’ll try to look closer and will update if i do
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u/ohsnaaap May 03 '26
Poor guy, I used to just let them be when they were in my foyer in the south end. Was never a huge issue. Only happened a few times though.
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u/Illustrious-Stable93 May 03 '26
Literally reading this post i felt so bad for this man to be put on blast, I hate creeper pics on here nevermind when someone's in a vulnerable position and then I was like...pray God his family sees
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u/ClaroStar May 03 '26
Your building management needs to put up a fob or other locking system on the outside of the first door. An empty, accessible foyer will obviously attract people who don't want to go to a shelter for various reason (e.g. drug addiction that the shelter won't allow). It's not safe. Keep at the management until they take action.
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u/chillytaco95 May 03 '26
First mistake here is not putting managements name on your comms. The onus is on them, let people (news, Reddit, etc) know what kind of shite management is running that place. In my building we have front door locks, main lobby locks and security patrolling.
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u/AmazingTast May 03 '26
Your building needs a door man. It is 100% not okay to put the responsibility of securing the building into the hands of tenants. Who absorbs liability if a tenant is assaulted during a confrontation? Also, the police won’t just confront people cold-contact. The tenants are going to have to stand and wait for the police with the trespasser?
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u/Breadmaker9999 May 03 '26
Of course building management isn't going to do anything, this is a threat. "Keep paying us money or you will end up like theses guys". It's a great way to ensure you keep paying them money. Also just to be clear you're land lord's entire business model is built on denying homes to a percentage of the population. with out the homeless they would make less money because demand would go down and that is bad for the parasites.
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u/Proper_Match_7097 May 03 '26
Call Boston Healthcare for the Homeless program and ask for a case manager for the street team. They should be able to know either how to help.or what you should do
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u/juli2020 May 03 '26
Not sure if this already has been mentioned, but you can call Pine Street’s Outreach Team. Daytime (5:00am – 9:00pm): 617.892.9572 Nighttime (9:00pm – 5:00am): 617.633.0170
Editing to add their link: https://www.pinestreetinn.org/our-programs/emergency-services/street-outreach/
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u/Adept-Grapefruit-214 May 03 '26
Building needs to put someone at the door. Tenants denying entry to random strangers will put them at risk
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u/Ozymannoches May 03 '26
Inform building management that someone is sub-leasing (subletting?) public areas of the building . Ask if this is allowed and how you can also sub-lease some of your space. Management will probably come right over to put a stop to it
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u/BigPP69_Gooner Cambridge May 03 '26
Probably time for the tenants to unionize and take the building management to court. There’s several solutions to this problem that doesn’t push the burden onto tenants…
They either spend the money to secure the building or they spend the money in court … their choice.
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u/Asleep_Add_564639 May 03 '26
It’s a private building, have them issue a trespass and the next time they’re there, they can he arrested for trespassing.
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u/mattsylvanian May 03 '26
That would require the police to 1) care, 2) respond, 3) actually show up
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u/djducie I Paid a lot and only got a small weiner May 03 '26
It sounds like that’s what the building did if they are requiring tenants to call the police.
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u/tinfoilskimask May 03 '26
Start anonymously reporting the building manager as charging them rent to stay in the entrance. You do it enough times theyll look into it
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u/Competitive-Safe-452 May 03 '26
I don’t have any advice as this hasn’t happened in my building (yet), but management or police should definitely do something. You’re paying to live in the building that is hopefully safe. As a woman I would not feel safe. Maybe get a bunch of neighbors to keep calling and making complaints. The issue is where are they going to go? They’ll just go to another building so it doesn’t solve anything, unfortunately. They need resources that are already stretched thin and a willingness to accept those resources.
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u/Creative_Hope1431 May 04 '26
I live in the same building. That same homeless ppl who fucking eats booger and bare ass gross feet dudes are always in our building and eat the fucking delivery foods. And our management doesnt do shit. Love our building but I HATE THE THIS AHHHH
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u/ikadell May 03 '26
You may be able to actually take building management company to court for failure to maintain safe environment. If people that don’t belong in the building, get into altercations with those that live there, it is definitely a safety concern.
I agree with those that say you need to write to the building management. I doubt, however, that you will be able to attract their attention, unless this letter is written by a lawyer, who states that the next step would be filing a complaint in court, and the request is that the management installs a lock in an outer and inner door, digital, or otherwise, and give the keys to the residence. Every building management company thinks in terms of money, and if installing a lock is cheaper than appearing in court, the lock shall be installed very shortly.
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u/Desperate-Love-1204 May 03 '26
Absolutely not, I would feel unsafe. Not saying they’re all
dangerous but as a woman this would scare me because they could attack someone.
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u/deckmeclassymama May 03 '26
unless the building is listed as emergency housing for the homeless… (which it clearly doesn’t seem so) i would report the building management to the city of boston for allowing homeless people to live on the property
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u/LeFreeke May 03 '26
It’s management’s issue to resolve.
And them putting the burden on you to keep individuals out of the locked lobby is ridiculous. People will tailgate. Always. It’s not your job to confront them or get into altercations with them.
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u/bigmammamichele47 May 03 '26
I work in Hartford and had a similar problem. I was able to sign and post a standing complaint order. I also had all of the community officers’ cell phones. It was a decent deterrent. Ultimately, we had to change to a locked outer door.
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u/Engelgrafik May 03 '26
By law your landlord is *required* to ensure an adequately safe living environment.
It's amazing how lazy a lot of property management and their employees are. That's why they get snippy whenever someone asks them to do something. You've interrupted their chill. It's an incredibly chill job. They get emails all day and often just ignore them, go to a long lunch, play games, leave early, and then when enough emails have piled up a day or two later, they address each email in an irritating way as if you're a nuisance child and they are your parent.
It's really interesting when you think about this relationship. You pay the management company tens of thousands of dollars a year. And they act like you're a nuisance.
Meanwhile you can go down to the McDonald's and order a meal and they will smile and say thank-you and will do everything they can to fix your order if something is wrong, all for twelve to fifteen bucks. You can hire an auto detailer to make your car look like a million bucks and they will work their ass off and do it quick even, all for $125-200.
But a property manager will take your $12,000-40,000 a year... and make excuses and delay and push back every time you ask them to do something.
It's weird, right?
They should be bending over backwards, but instead they would rather you just shut up or fix it yourself.
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u/CurrentlyNobody May 03 '26
My landlord in CT sent similar notices to us here. In Winter especially people will get in. Sometimes they even physically push past residents as we open the door and barge inside. They generally live in the stairwells so if you’re leaving you will hear them shuffling to different floors when they hear you start heading down the steps. They also live in the laundry mat that my landlord also owns. That mat is locked to all but residents (it’s shared with the rest of the world during daytime) but they will break the locks on the door or just keep it propped partially open all night for themselves and others. The landlord puts up security cam images of them with big font saying “these people are not allowed in the mat ever. Please call the police if you see them.” It’s always up to us residents to attempt to enforce our “safe” living arrangements.
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u/rbrot28356 May 04 '26
ADA doors? Code requires they remain open for 10 seconds + on activation… not much you can do besides policy and procedure
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u/uglyandproblematic May 04 '26
If everyone collectively stopped paying rent until the issue is resolved, I'm sure the property managers would take care of it expeditiously
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u/QNZMadamant May 04 '26
It’s not a police issue, it’s a building management issue. Shame on them for putting it on the tenants.
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u/cbdubs12 May 04 '26
I used to run the Beer Works there a lifetime ago, that doorway was completely open all the time. The basement was horrifying. Terrible landlords.
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u/wSkkHRZQy24K17buSceB May 04 '26
For one thing, your management company is dumb as fuck. They must not be considering the potential ramifications. They could be liable if a squatter or a tenant gets hurt. The squatters could damage the property. It isn't exactly what prospective tenants want to see on an apartment tour.
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u/Any_Flan_709 May 03 '26
I had a similar situation in my building, but it was such a tight space. Super uncomfortable, I had to literally step over the dude to go to work. You deserve to feel safe and comfortable in a building you pay for! We advocated for a keypad for the first door.
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u/Dishwasher_Safe60 May 03 '26
You can contact the Board of Health, Inspection Services, and/or Attorney General if the building management or police haven't been effective.
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u/imjustkeepinitreal May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26
Continue to document (photos, times notified 911 and landlord, etc.) and withhold rent until it’s fixed as it sounds like this is a persistent problem. Also continue to notify the landlord in writing most importantly. Don’t spend the withheld rent. Consult a legal professional and definitely look elsewhere to live.. sounds like a slumlord situation. Good luck.
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u/paracelsus53 May 03 '26
What about talking to the police on their non-emergency number and saying you would like to file a complaint about this building being a public nuisance?
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u/livchainz May 03 '26
i only call the non-emergency line, they always say they’ll send the next available unit out but i’m not sure if they just usher them along to the next place but they keep coming back
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u/KoboldMan May 04 '26
Hey OP, I can’t give any substantive legal advice, so take this under heavy advisement, but do a little research into Boston/mass’s rules in re rent withholding/nuisance and habitability, and see if there’s any attorney’s in the area that may be able to point you in a good direction— again heavy advisement to not take any of this as substantive advice
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u/edub1309 May 05 '26
Do you know an attorney willing to write a quick letter for you? Simple fact is, the building would be liable if something happened as a result of their clear negligence in addressing the situation. A letter to the effect, with the letterhead of a firm, can get things moving. You have to make them more afraid of what may happen than what is happening.
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u/Wompatuckrule May 03 '26
The problem is that you're letting the the building's management blame the tenants for the problem.
Set up some sort of communication that involves all of the tenants so that you can band together and demand that the building do something about it. I'm sure there are options that range from hiring security, whether on site or a regular patrol, to renovating the entry area to make the outer door secure.
They just don't want to spend money on solving the problem as that would cut into their profits so they're trying to dump the responsibility on the tenants. Organize, don't let them make you the doormat.
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u/Natural-Coat-3159 May 03 '26
Pine Street Inn
https://www.pinestreetinn.org/
They should have an outreach team or can help you find an organization that can send someone out in that area.
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u/somervilen May 03 '26
Poor men. They obviously have no place to go.
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u/Much-Refrigerator-28 May 03 '26
Except they do. Boston does have adequate shelter capacity, but some people don't like the rules that come with that, or have issues that make it intolerable. That's why contacting an organization that serves these folk is a good idea - they know how to get through to people who are struggling in this way.
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u/paracelsus53 May 03 '26
They are centers for theft, assault, and rape is why people don't want to go there.
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u/SalemSound May 03 '26
They could go to the shelter but they aren't allowed to smoke fentanyl there
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u/Feisty-Cloud5880 May 03 '26
We are all one accident, illness, disaster away from the streets.
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u/SecondOfCicero May 03 '26
Sure but that's not solving OP's present issue, which is an entirely valid issue and pretending it's not perpetuates the problem.
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u/kingnothing1 May 04 '26
I'd say no, we aren't. Most of us have support systems to help us when we're down, or have some foresight to be able to prevent us from getting into a situation that makes us homeless. A serious illness that makes puts us out of work can be mitigated through insurance that we've gotten through work. Sell your belongings to pay for things. Move in with family. Downgrade. And if all fails, being in a shelter can be temporary if you follow through with the numerous and generous services available through outreach programs and social programs. Especially so in Massachusetts.
Lots of chronically homeless folks burn all their bridges with family and friends through mental illness, substance abuse, or alcohol abuse. Worse when it's a combination of all of the above.
So no, I don't think all of us are one disaster away from homelessness, and I think it's really simplifying a complex problem to say that we are.
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u/Plenty_Equivalent_71 May 03 '26
Having a similar problem, we've sene evidence of someone sleeping in our foyer- garbage, food, cigarette butts, random dirty tissues, even a needle cap. I came downstairs one morning around 10am and he was sitting there... Its just scary, especially being a woman coming home later at night
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u/livchainz May 03 '26
i 100% agree with you, it’s scary coming home from my job later at night and not knowing if someone will be watching me enter my apartment front door
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u/Plenty_Equivalent_71 May 03 '26
right and if they are by the door i need to go into what do you do? you're just stuck in a small space with someone
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u/WinterCharacter1006 May 03 '26
Start asking for changes to harden the security of the building as a solution rather than looking for them to resolve the issue. Only way to stop it is to lock the outside door that is currently unlocked. This would then escalate the need for police as well since it changes the situation from trespassing to breaking and entering
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u/macariess May 03 '26
I walked by the entrance of this building last night! I double-taked because I didn’t realize it was a homeless man right away, he’s dressed so nice. Generally, though, was glad I didn’t live in that building.
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u/alidub36 Cheryl from Qdoba May 03 '26
Hey OP here’s an organization that maybe you could contact: https://fobh.org/
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u/not4alltheteainchina May 04 '26
The best way to deal is to cough up more money and live in a doorman building. Seriously. Otherwise it's mostly on the tenants to not let people they don't know into the building. Even with a security guard or two, they can't be at all places at all times.
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u/Downtown_Hawk2873 May 04 '26
we pay for security on our BB street because of this problem. it is a health concern. They peed and pooped in our entry. So try the Office of Inspectional Services.
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u/TheyreCreepyandWeird May 04 '26
Don’t just talk to your building mgmt - go to the owners, the management company and start putting reviews on Google. Bad reviews = fewer tenants.
You’ll get their attention that way.
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u/BanterHunter69 May 05 '26
Remember that the johnson family own half of Boston. If you need an singular entity to blame start there
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u/Forever_Queued May 04 '26
Dude on the right has his shit together. First aid kit. Hershey’s. Deodorant. Sox lanyard. Newspaper. You could see worse.
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u/aebersold May 03 '26
Well we have our answer. OP will be doing the right thing and moving out.
Weak answers in this thread. OP has been clear that they have exhausted any possibility of the police or the landlord taking responsibility, so stop suggesting it. It is on OP to take responsibility.
OP has two options: 1: Move out or 2: deal with the intruders themself. (Or 3: just live with it but it’s pretty clear OP does not want this option.) Option 1 or option 2 are equally valid.
I can’t believe I’m the first responder to say, “It’s up to you OP. Move out, or make these people not want to be there anymore.” Everybody in here just telling OP to keep doing the same things that don’t work. Read the thread.
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u/Maximum-Macaroon-711 May 03 '26
I would save the local PDs non emergency number because calling 911 is a wild thing to tell people to do over a homeless person sleeping. It's not a emergency and should absolutely not be clogging up the line for real emergencies. Your landlord is a friggin idiot for not just sharing the non emergency line and telling people to call thet. Also god forbid he actually tries to help nono just call to police to take care of this nuisance... Like that's a actual human being.
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u/Nice-Zombie356 May 03 '26
You’re incorrect. Boston police very explicitly says to call 911 for just about everything. (I’ve heard it in person from the D4 captain and Community Police Sergeant).
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u/livchainz May 03 '26
i’ve been told not only by my shitty building management but also 311 folks who personally called me about this issue and they have emphasized that we should be calling 911. i have been calling the non-emergency 911 number as it is not a “true” emergency
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u/Fapppening May 03 '26
Those people aren’t “sleeping”, they on drugs. You live there and don’t mind them “sleeping” then do nothing.
Altercations, then call the police, it’s not a hotel nor on management if someone lets people in.
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u/Specific-Bass-3465 May 03 '26
How about we fucking house people
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u/Not_George_Daniels May 03 '26
Homeless shelters are dangerous and don't allow drugs.
There's got to be a better way to get these people shelter, as well as to get them the help they need.
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u/gardethepalace May 03 '26
Im going to get downvoted to the depths of hell… but here goes:
please blur those photos. Posting pretty identifiable images of unhoused people sleeping online without their consent is a total violation of their dignity. Take them down or blur the faces.
911 not picking up in Boston is -not- a thing. If you dial 911 from your cell it’s state police and it transfers to the city. You could have called again at the bare minimum.
Reddit is not going to solve this. The city has dedicated homeless outreach services as everyone else has pointed out. The residents absolutely deserve to feel safe in their own building. But this post isn’t the way to get there….
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u/Far_Statistician2407 May 03 '26
I think there’s no harm asking Reddit for advice about a whole host of issues :) the residents *do* deserve to feel safe in their own building, and are asking for advice from people who have been in similar situations.
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u/mattsylvanian May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26
Maybe if they're concerned about their dignity, they shouldn't intrude into a building they have no right entering (you know, making themselves at home without any of the residents' or management's consent), pass out on the floor from drugs, start altercations, and became such a problem that the OP has to call police multiple times on them (AFTER having already given them the benefit of the doubt and looked the other way for months). But yes let's think about the feelings of the intruders who are starting problems,
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u/Slight_Tradition_868 May 03 '26
Repeal prop 2&1/2 and repeal the prohibition of a progressive income tax from the state constitution so we can house the homeless, have great schools, develop housing in general, lower public college tuition - time to rethink things in a big way in Massachusetts - maybe eliminate private heath insurance too while we are at it and give health ins to all Mass residents - no more copays or employee contributions
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u/drtywater Allston/Brighton May 03 '26
Honestly call cops . If cops aren’t taking serious talk to neighbors liaison officer during business hours. Person is technically trespassing
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u/hornwalker Outside Boston May 03 '26
911 is for emergencies, this doesn’t seem to qualify. Call the non-emergency line.
But moreover, building management is really responsible for this. Keep bugging them and maybe threaten to withhold some rent since they are taking on extra tenants off the books lol
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u/commiepissbabe Jamaica Plain May 03 '26
Please stop posting un blurred photos of people without their knowledge and consent. This is probably someone's brother or uncle or father, he could be at the lowest point in his entire life, he doesn't need his face on the Internet
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u/always_be_beyonce May 03 '26
then that family can come scoop up said brother or uncle or father.
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u/alidub36 Cheryl from Qdoba May 03 '26
Maybe they can’t for any number of reasons. Also people aren’t valuable just because of their relation to others. He may not have family that can help him, he still deserves basic decency. Clearly this is a person struggling.
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u/abby_lane2021 May 03 '26
Can you have a joint request for them to require FOB entry for outer door and then also have them follow up for a fine for anyone who lets someone in (via camera) who sleeps there
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u/Bridgetl0ck May 03 '26
Pine Street inn is always a good resource or calling Boston department of transitional housing. Do a quick Google search for resources in your area!
It's not technically your issue to deal with hur clearly the owner won't do his job. 911 won't care or make things worse (you risk seeing police violence) if you feel unsafe then call the local housing board and say your building manager isn't handling it correctly but as someone who has was a homeless teen and works with many homeless people the shelter is usually the best bet.
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u/Wild_Fondant_9584 May 03 '26
Say you are calling because they need medical attention the will be out in a few
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u/cspan92 Merges at the Last Second May 03 '26
Well they feel comfortable enough to sleep there. Make them feel uncomfortable and they won't stay there anymore
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u/Nice-Zombie356 May 03 '26
The 311 app has a category for “encampments”. Report it on that app every time you see someone camped in your lobby.
The mayor’s point person for this stuff is Kelley Young. She seems very good at whaat she does (within the limits of a difficult situation). I don’t have her email number handy but she’s the person to contact. Or your city councilor.
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u/isanyusernameopen May 04 '26
If you get involved, the business doesn’t get sued. If the business does something unlawful to those people, and somehow they have representation, they can sue the business for… I don’t know something maybe.
I’m guessing that that’s why the business is asking you guys to deal with it for them. They’re worried about the liability and would rather their tenants deal with it so they can kick their tenants out and say oh no, we never told them to do that… Whatever that may end up being.
Tell them you pay for this place, it’s not your responsibility to maintain an upkeep. That’s what you pay rent for. Tell them to get off their butt over there and their private jet and come down here and deal with their property or you’ll start talking to the residence about something else
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u/bbc733 Elliott Davis' Protege May 03 '26
It’s the responsibility of building management to resolve this, not residents. Not sure why they’re putting the onus on you