"Mayor Wu's Bold Measures to Address Mass. and Cass Crisis: Tent Ban and Increased Police Presence"

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu plans to issue an ordinance that will ban encampments of unhoused people around Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue, known as Mass. and Cass, while increasing policing and limiting access to some streets in the area. The ordinance aims to address safety concerns following multiple violent incidents in the area. The city is also evaluating the use of office buildings and other city-owned facilities as short-term housing and centers for clinical services. The ordinance is still being developed, and more details will be released soon. However, the ACLU has expressed concerns about targeting people for criminal law enforcement operations and the need for adequate alternatives and due process rights.