Mass and Cass, Fanueil Hall Addressed at City Council Meeting

The Boston City Council on Wednesday tackled two controversial issues, opting to give the green light to clearing the homeless encampment tents at Mass and Cass, as well as changing the name of the historic Faneuil Hall.

The Mass and Cass proposal originated as an ordinance set in August by Boston mayor Michelle Wu, banning tents and encampments on public property. The version brought at the City Council meeting by Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, District 5, was amended in several aspects, including requiring the city to provide transportation to public shelters and removing a $25 fine for violations of the ordinance. It was passed 9-3, with At-large Councilor Julia Mejia voting “Present.”

Now it lands on Mayor Wu's desk. If signed, the ordinance will take effect seven days later. Mayor Wu is likely to sign, having expressed strong support of similar policies during her time as a Boston City Councilor.

Calling the impact of the violence and drug dealing on the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard a "tremendous amount of harm," At-large Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune said, "the tent situation is untenable."

She added that while she doesn't think Mayor Wu's idea of clearing the tents — where people suffering from homelessness and drug addiction camp out — is a solution to the problem, Louijeune voted to clear the area, because she said, "I believe it is a step." Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, District 7, agreed that it was "the first step" to resolving the issue at Mass and Cass, but remained unconvinced that the bill had a "comprehensive plan."

However, Councilor Frank Baker, District 3, who called the measure “handcuffing us into housing first,” said addiction treatment should be the priority.

“Low threshold housing says there’s no need for sobriety,” said Baker, who voted, “No.”

Council President Ed Flynn, District 2, stated that he would be voting yes because "We can't allow them to continue [illegal] activity in people's neighborhoods." He added that his major concern was improving the quality of life for people living in the area.

Councilor Arroyo, although he voted “Yes,” had some of the harshest words against it. In his opening remarks introducing the bill, he commented, "There is no study or test case that anyone can hold up to say that the clearing of encampments is successful," and that sweeps and clearings have "failed in every single city." He declared, "I hope that if this goes through, it goes through in its amended form," closing the discussion.

In other business, the councilors voted 10-3 to change the name of the famed Faneuil Hall; however, the final decision is under the jurisdiction of the Public Facilities Commission.

Councilors spoke passionately about the impact of having one of Boston's most famous buildings named after a slave owner. Calling the hall one of many "anti-Black symbols prevalent in Boston," Councilor Fernandes Anderson said Peter Faneuil was a "white supremacist" whose name should be stripped from the hall "so we can all thrive together in Boston," receiving sustained applause from the audience.

Councilor Brian Worrell, District 4, voiced that "these landmarks in our community, our city of Boston, should reflect our values," and voted “Yes.”

Councilor Baker rebutted, saying the resolution was "ambiguous at best" and taking Fanueil’s name off would not preserve historical context. Councilor Fernandes Anderson shot back, saying historical context can be preserved “without honoring a rapist."

In support, Councilor Louijeune cited her experience of attending Harvard Law School with the Royall family’s arms (used on the law school’s crest) on her folders for class, and how discomforting it was because the family had built their fortune from slave trading. She mentioned how people have told her that they didn’t know Faneuil was a slave owner, and said, “Once we do know, it does spark an opportunity for us to do better.” Harvard Law School scrapped the crest in 2016.

Councilor Mejia, who voted “Yes,” noted that Mayor Wu supported the proposal in 2019, when she was then a Boston City Councilor. She added, “I'm encouraged that Mayor Wu now has the ability to say ‘Let's go.’”