I too have noticed a group of people colonizing an area along the bike path (between Alewife and Belmont) and the encampment has been growing. There is a significant load of garbage along the bike path, sometimes blocking the path. Not only is it unpleasant but I too feel walking/running on the path early in the day or later at night. I hope that you solve this issue soon as it is getting more and more unbearable by the day. People should not be allowed to live in the Reservation.

I have noticed this issue as well.

Just walked by there this morning, and there is so much litter and garbage in the stretch between Alewife and the Arlington Dog Park.

We've been noticing the same as well. Also on the other side of the road (on the bikeway that goes towards Belmont). There are people constantly sleeping there.

Hello Cambridge officials. There is a serious littering strewn up and down the path from across the Alewife Station to Belmont. People have lived in tents (some make shift) directly behind 87 Cambridgepark Drive for months. The area appears extremely cluttered with litter such as toilet paper, plastic beverage bottles, paper cups, paper bags, empty liquor bottles, beer cans, 'shopping carts', clothing, and lot of ETC. It is also 'extremely' unsafe for anyone to walk on this path in the evening. I have been walking my dog in the evening and was starred at by a homeless person going through the trash bins that sit in the parking lot of 125 Cambridgepark Drive. This homeless person suddenly disappeared when I looked away and I was very leary where the homeless person moved to because I had to go nearer to the trash bins to get home. Actually, my complaint is geared towards the littering and the (not so) safety to walk up and down this busy path. Again, Cambridge, your citizens deserve better and request this be taken into action immediately (with urgency) to control this situation. Please leave comments of any action citizens can take ...city hall, the major, who/what?? As I read back over this 'open issue', this one in particular has been reported as far back as December 2014. That is unacceptable! Thank you.

Apparently if someone stares at you it means that they will do harm. Glenda please stop spreading your hate. Cleaning up garbage is one thing but spreading false statements of safety issues is ridiculous. As a community we can all find a way to give the homeless a space while keeping the city clean!

Staring is commonly considered aggressive behavior. If you doubt that, go to a public space and start staring at people. I don't know the person who made that report, but I suspect you don't either, so please don't describe her as hateful.

Staring may be uncomfortable but aggressive is a stretch. Staring combined with following, or words, or some type of action would be aggressive, but its not illegal to stare. For all we know the homeless person was scared of her, filming them on her phone, possibly going to attack them to get them out of the space they are in.

Chris I have reported you for harassing me on Next Door and now here. This site, YouTube, and Next Door is not a place to air your thoughts about anyone nor dreaming up ‘hate’ from complaints. Stop harassing and stalking me; (it’s in black and white) or my next action will be bringing it to the attention of the Cambridge Police!

On what planet is that considered harassment?

This issue was recategorized from Other to Uncategorized.

This issue was recategorized from Uncategorized to Other.

City Hall – DR assigned this issue to City Hall – DR

Glenda, feel free to waste their time if you wish but voicing my opinion isnt harassment and I'll continue to do so as I see fit when I see others attacking the homeless community.

I've reached out to the Police Department Social Justice Group to get more information about what has been/continues to be done about this location and will update when I know more.

The tents have all come down, however, the trash remains.

I agree that encampment by the homeless is a major recurring problem here. The park should NOT be allowed for homeless people to live and leave their trash. Please make sure that no one is setting up tents here.

Issue 5654822 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

Representatives from Cambridge, Belmont and Arlington (including Officers in each city’s Police Department, Transit Police, as well as social workers and outreach personnel) met this week to discuss the ongoing concerns and issues with drug use and homelessness in the greater Alewife area. Out of this meeting, a regional working group has been created, so all three municipalities are aligned and coordinated in their response. This group supplements the weekly regional outreach that is already occurring via the Multidisciplinary Outreach Team. The working group has no intention of criminalizing homelessness and plans to work together to connect those who are homeless or struggling with substance use disorders with service providers to assist them in the short and long-term. It will also attempt work with state and private land owners, as well as Public Works, to address specific areas that may need to be cleaned of debris.

Thanks for fixing this request!

Thank you for helping these individuals who are homeless. I am still trying to get the MBTA to clean up the refuse/trash abandoned by these individuals on MBTA property with limited success. One are near Russell Field had old pillows and clothng and trash strewn about for about 6 months. An MBTA worker told me to use TWITTER and send tweets with the trash @MBTA and #MBTA - this area was cleaned up within 24 hours. It is so much better. But there are many other sites around Alwife on MBTA which are littered with cardboard used for sleeping and trash. I have tweeted those images as it is shocking...yet MBTA has not responded. I hope others RETWEET the images so that the MBTA will do something about the trash and clean it up!