Earlier this month, Boston Police removed and arrested homeless people around Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, an area referred to as "Methadone Mile." The Boston Police Department called the move “Operation Clean Sweep.”
Lyndia Downie, the president and executive director of Pine Street Inn, the largest agency working with homeless individuals in New England, joined Boston Public Radio Wednesday to talk about this incident and the 50th anniversary of Pine Street.
Downie said the sweeps at "Methadone Mile" have moved homeless people further into the South End.
“We are doing more outreach in parts of the South End where people have moved up,” Downie said. “We are trying really hard to one by one say to people, Do you want to come into shelter? How about treatment? If you aren’t ready for treatment, what else can we do for you? It’s a tough, tough issue.”
