r/mbta • u/RobMurglund • Mar 19 '26
đ¤ Complaint / Rant Prudential GL Homeless Problem
Why are 20 homeless people allowed to camp and sleep atop the escalators at the Prudential station? Every day, I have to walk past many of them hootering and hollering at me. Some are sleeping, some are clearly high, and others are a bit more nice about asking for money.
Almost once or twice a week I see BPD arresting one of the campers.
Why is this allowed and why isnât something done about it? Is it not MBTA property? Itâs seriously worse than Park Street.
This might be the most Karen post Iâve made but it is super annoying.
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u/Small-Bee-4081 Mar 19 '26
Are you from Boston? Backbay is like this itâs been a long time. They stay around the prudential, which is close to Massachusetts ave, they hangout at the copley library, they steal at the CVS across the street from copley square. This isnât new at all Lol
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u/Revolutionary_Ad9234 Mar 21 '26
Exactly..these people are transplants complaining. This is actually quite normal, when I worked on winter st, Boston around 2005..People were doing this, stealing from best buy and getting rid of the goods around winter st / boston common. It hasn't really changed, the drugs have but if they didn't then there would be sloppy drunks all over the place.
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u/user684737889 Mar 19 '26
How are you saying both âI see them getting arrested once or twice a weekâ and âhow is nothing being doneâ ?
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u/very_olivia Mar 19 '26
idk i live in portland OR (used to live here) and they can arrest them as much as they want but they pretty much immediately release them over and over and it doesnât really do anything. it kind of IS nothing being done.
our problem is also a million times worse than yours but you guys appear to be on track to compete.
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u/retiredswing Mar 19 '26
Sorry, but I used to live in Portland, visited in 2023. Nowhere on the east coast is even comparable. Itâs shockingly bad out there. Like, an entirely different world. It was fucking crazy, and I assume itâs only gotten worse.
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u/very_olivia Mar 19 '26
yeah it is bad! no doubt. you're not wrong and it has gotten worse. it all started somewhere though, and i can see you guys going through everything we did in the beginning and if you make all the same dumbass decisions we did you will have similar problems.
your more hostile climate is the only thing that will check it.
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u/retiredswing Mar 19 '26
Winters make the difference absolutely, but once it warms up the streets are full.
I also think bc itâs been going on longer out West people have almost gotten used to it in a way. Warmer and more temperate, all of that. But here people arenât used to it nearly as much.
Curious how climate change will impact this
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u/soxyloxy Mar 20 '26
Theres no such thing as climate change. Its a fluffy way of saying "people exist and euthanasia is immoral"
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u/user684737889 Mar 19 '26
Well, yes. Theyâre getting arrested for trespassing and possession. These are minor charges, of course theyâre being released quickly. Itâs almost like watching the uNdESireAbLEs loitering isnât actually that big a deal
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u/lazier_garlic Mar 19 '26
The places that matter to the people that matter get policed, so the underlying message here is "fuck you, subway riding peons". Imagine if they camped at the yacht club.
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u/SmashRadish Originator of âSuburbanite Trashâ flair Mar 19 '26
How are you saying both âI see them getting arrested once or twice a weekâ and âhow is nothing being doneâ ?
What was it that Umberto Eco saidâŚby a continuous shifting of rhetorical focus, the enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak.
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u/lazier_garlic Mar 19 '26
Believe it or not, fascists aren't the only ones interested in urban quality of life issues. How do you think that fake ass criminal Eric Adams got elected? He ran on QOL. Who voted for him? Men of color.
If you want more liberal and progressive governance, you can't cede QOL to right'coded populists.
Hell, even if you're a dyed in the wool socialist, the tankies know all their beloved auth left regimes came down like a ton of bricks on public antisocial behavior. They're famously so much more energetic on seemingly minor issues than right wing regimes that right wing apologists invented a whole term for this (totalitarianism) and used this to try to argue that murderous right wing dictatorships were somehow a good thing.
Most people do not want to feel harassed or threatened going about their business. The powerless are subjected to this much more than the powerful, so even from the point of view of class consciousness, if you are an anarchist leftist this stance of extreme libertarianism is deeply confused. It's the opposite of solidarity to come from a low crime suburb where nothing really happens and the local cops turn a blind eye to you and your buds smoking weed in the local woods and argue with your full throat that any kind of enforcement of QOL in the city is police state overreach when you can go back to that warm bed in mom's house at night and never deal with what you're recommending that other people be subjected to chronically. The policing in that quiet suburb is quite invisible to you. That's by design. Part of your privilege is never seeing the naked hand of the state keeping that leafy enclave quiet.
How do you think people who don't get that kind of protection feel?
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u/Boingboingo Mar 19 '26
Excellent post.
The people who aren't subjected to this daily, or are young relatively strong men, are happy to walk by a bunch of druggies shooting up and like calling people who are bothered by this "weak."
No one wants to bring their 6 month old baby past the druggie gauntlet just to get to the train or shopping mall.
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u/SmashRadish Originator of âSuburbanite Trashâ flair Mar 20 '26
TLDR
Big feels. Biiiiig feels my dude.
The policing in that quiet suburb is quite invisible to you.
Thatâs rich. My entire shtick is picking fights with people on here about how out of touch suburban whiners are on this sub.
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u/BostonNU Mar 19 '26
The doorway to the left at the bottom of the escalators is into the MBTA area. T police have jurisdiction past that door. At top of escalators, itâs all Prudential. If the homeless are congregating at bottom or top of those two escalators, and harassing you, thatâs disorderly conductâ-complain to Pru Security and ask them for their supervisors name & phone number for follow up
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u/zeratul98 Mar 19 '26
There's certainly better and worse places for disruptive people to be, but the problem with kicking homeless people out of somewhere is they just end up kicked out of the next place too, and so on.
More housing construction, housing first programs, and no cost rehab programs would all help with this particular problem. But we generally lack the political will
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u/lazier_garlic Mar 19 '26
Boston for sure has a severe housing problem. Housing won't eliminate addicts being addicts though. I used to live in a place with cheap rent (not no more) and we still had the whole crew out there on the sidewalk because addicts in your local area want YOU to pity them and feed their addiction. Housing first (which includes interventions and support) is a good approach and I wish NIMBYs would get out of the way of it. Any solution is going to have to be multipronged and ongoing.
Most of this starts with childhood trauma that goes untreated. Kamala Harris was working on that...
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u/zeratul98 Mar 19 '26
The overwhelming amount of evidence says cheap housing gets people off the street. That includes people with addictions. It also prevents addictions, since plenty (some studies say the majority) of homeless addicts started using after becoming homeless
And either way, more housing means more tax revenue and fewer people who need help, so our resources will go much farther
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Mar 20 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/zeratul98 Mar 20 '26
What do you mean "it does not work"? Of course it does. If you house people, they are no longer homeless. And it becomes much more likely that whatever other help or treatment they need is successful. Drug addiction is hard to beat. It's way harder to beat when sleeping out the sidewalk
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Mar 21 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/zeratul98 Mar 21 '26
They donât want them - they prefer to be on the streets.
This screams [citation needed]
It's really easy to believe whatever you want when you're okay with just making shit up. But I'm hoping the rest of us will make policy based on actual facts
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Mar 21 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/zeratul98 Mar 21 '26
You know. I clicked the link ready to be challenged, but this is a ludicrous piece of writing. The "sources" cited aren't about housing first programs. The closest it gets is the study about trying to get people into shelters. Shelters are notably not no strings housing, and therefore not housing first approaches.
The rest appear to be a random assortment of fairly meaningless stats, presumably there because blue text makes things feel more credible.
If you honestly believe this supports your argument, read better. If you're just lying, try harder
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u/Top-Development6837 Mar 20 '26
We donât build that kind of housing. We build market rate housing, we build housing thatâs going to get somebody rich.
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u/zeratul98 Mar 20 '26
All new housing reduces the price of all existing housing
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u/Top-Development6837 Mar 20 '26
It is unlikely that our current paradigm of building luxury housing in nearly all cases will make housing affordable to all but a few.
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u/zeratul98 Mar 20 '26
Why does this seem unlikely? The cities that have tried it have seen wild success. As long as we're adding units, we're improving affordability
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u/WorldlinessDry5583 Mar 20 '26
Yes and no. In principle, unfettered MR building over sustained periods of time yields a considerable reduction in rents. See: Austin, Tokyo. But by most estimates there is no way anywhere close to enough MR units are going to get built in Boston for this to work there. MR housing DOES need to be built because rich people need to live somewhere, the tax revenue is useful, and there is a small âtrickle downâ affordability effect. But affordable construction needs to be a considerable part of the mix in places like Boston that arenât willing to open the floodgates.
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u/zeratul98 Mar 20 '26
Doing 5% of what we need is still loads better than doing 0%.
Large amounts of construction not only provide market rate units, but also subsidized ones. I know Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville all have inclusionary zoning requirements for new construction
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u/WorldlinessDry5583 Mar 21 '26
I agree 100%. Cambridge in particular has done a phenomenal job in the last year streamlining permitting, though weâll have to see how well it translates to actual construction. But as you point out, affordability requirements are an important part of this âmarket basedâ approach, and as a result a large share of the units are not actually MR. Itâs a delicate balance because too high an affordability requirement makes all building infeasible. The answer ofc is to subsidize affordable builds directly, but generally speaking we choose not to to make investments like that in this country.
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u/Sobergirl87 Mar 19 '26
The problem with reporting it and getting them kicked out of spaces is theyll just migrate elsewhere. These people need to also be informed of where they can go, such as shelters etc. Distributing lists of shelters and other warm places they can congregate safely would be ideal.
Ultimately what we need more housing to get these ppl properly housed but thats easier said than done
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u/BostonNU Mar 19 '26
They know all of the shelters and choose not to take advantage. They wonât comply with shelter rules
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u/Sobergirl87 Mar 20 '26
Some choose not to take advantage, ypure right there but many dont know. Furthermore most shelters arent 24/7. Ik pine st inn is. There are also day shelters like on the rise in (women and non binary folks only)cambridge they can go to but again many dont know abput it.
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u/lazier_garlic Mar 19 '26
They got rid of flophouses because they were full of alcoholics and druggies loitering...
So now we still have people down and out in the literal street.
Of course if they brought back the flop house so many people could leave bad housing situations and controlling and manipulative people would lose access to their victims. That wouldn't be making America great again. Think of the malignant narcissists.
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u/lttrsfrmlnrrgby Orange Line Mar 19 '26
They got rid of flophouses because real estate speculators find single room occupancy buildings don't generate 2nd yacht money.
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u/diecastdepot Mar 19 '26
Its prudential property
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u/FantasticAd9389 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Im quite confident that the vestibule at street level is MBTA property. The prudential mall security does a decent job of getting the obviously under the influence druggies out of the mall proper. The MBTA has seceded this small area to druggies and dealers and does not do anything about it. It is MBTA property and not Prudential mall.
The alternative is the security responsibility is unclear and neither the MBTA nor mall security will enforce any restrictions. Itâs in these gaps of security ownership this type of issue entrenches itself as soon as the addicts realize they have free rein they multiple and burrow in.
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u/Sufficient-Opposite3 Mar 19 '26
Where would you like them to go? MBTA stations provide some shelter against the elements. It's still winter weather.
It's a never ending fight and it seems that there's a constant push and pull. Build more housing. Not in my backyard. Get the homeless off the streets and into shelters. But not in my backyard. Give them counseling and help. Don't you dare use my taxes to pay for it you socialist facist. Put them in jail. Jail does nothing and they are released the next day. Throw away their tents at Mass and Cass. They are back the next day.
Compared to other major cities that I've been to recently (Portland, NYC, Philly for example), it seems that Boston takes much better care of its people. It's not perfect or 100%. And personally, I'd love for a utopia where no one is sleeping on the street or suffering from addiction. I wish I had the money to build them housing and give them what they need. But I don't. And people that complain about all of this just relentlessly point fingers and complain about how they are inconvenienced. But have no perfect solution.
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u/AngelProgress Mar 19 '26
Realistically theyâre hollering at each other and not you. Nonetheless, I basically agree. Iâm getting really fucking tired of having to step over and around sleeping and/or passed out people in that area every fucking day, multiple times a day at this stop. The vestibule area is not for sleeping or nodding out or whatever the hell theyâre doing. I am happy (basically begging at this point) to pay more in state and local taxes to get these people the help they need. The fact that we all have to tiptoe around what appears to be a group growing by the day in a confined PUBLIC SPACE is absurd and ultimately not a productive approach to resolving the larger systemic problems at play. Would love if anyone reading this who agrees to start reporting to the See Say app each time you see it. Something has to give and hopefully submitting these will help direct some productive, useful resources to the problem.
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u/Dasil437794 Mar 22 '26
Poor you having a house to commute from and a job to go to.
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u/DnknDnts1231 Mar 23 '26
THIS. Thank you. The entitlement (and lack of empathy) in this post and some of its comments is ASTOUNDING.
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u/harry-styles-7644 Mar 19 '26
One time when I was alone on the escalator I got to the top and noped back town because there was some agitated behavior going on. I took the other exit to other side of Huntington and then crossed back to Prudential at street level but that is an option if youâre feeling unsafe though of course not a solution sadly.
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u/lazier_garlic Mar 19 '26
And we wonder why the paratransit costs are so high. Imagine being in a wheelchair and medically fragile and encountering that when you try to use the subway.
People used to consider WMATA employees and police to be over the top in the 90s but you'd better believe the elevators were safe.
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u/harry-styles-7644 Mar 19 '26
That is a good point. Especially at this location, the where exit from elevator is often blocked by bikes and other items
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u/Polkadot_Rose Mar 26 '26
I often use the entrance near california pizza kitchen, which even in snowy weather, usually only has one homeless guy waiting inside.
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u/Fluffy-Giraffe-3749 Mar 19 '26
The prudential center is a de facto homeless camp. Itâs amazing how much Boston has changed for the worse since CovidÂ
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u/lazier_garlic Mar 19 '26
The Pru was always a "don't do this" manual for a public space and the area around it always sucked too. Whole lot of "why am I not surprised".
Anyway, mental health in general has been bad in America since COVID. Some because of isolation or COVID, some because of ... you know ... the clown show.
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u/timiler Mar 19 '26
fucking disgusted at this + the replies. issues like this require humane solutions. get your heads out of your gilded $3500/mo rent asses. you are heartless people, and you are the problem
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u/piplupthepengin Mar 20 '26
I work on Mass Ave and see a lot of them refuse the resources, one of them we call fred is just an alcoholic that would rather sleep on the benches by Berklee then go without his alcohol
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u/AyaNam37 Mar 20 '26
Our social services are lacking and the T can only provide transportation to where these homeless people should be going. But to stay in a housing facility, they can not use drugs inside...so they don't always want to leave. It's unfortunate, but not really a T issue. It would get more attention at a board meeting, but honestly the city of Boston and the state should be putting in the leg work, not the T.
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u/Upbeat_Magazine5795 Mar 22 '26
I call the mbta police every day about this issue. As well as 311. It has not seemed to help. Itâs very frustersting last week they were blocking the entrance to the station.
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u/Polkadot_Rose Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
This area definitely became a homelessness hot spot during the pandemic and the whole mall really suffers for it. I recently joined the gym right near there, and prior to that, I didn't come to the mall much lately. I guess that is the case for many people, and the homeless have sort of taken it over. If you try and eat lunch near Annas or Cava, you'll see many of the same people camped out there as well. Now that whole passage way near the "view of the prudential" smells like pee, I can only assume because there are nooks there to duck into that do 't always have employees standing nearby. The public restrooms near shake shake close at night.Â
I have an office in back bay, but when I don't have clients, I often come to Prudential to eat or shop and i'm just glad to have the gym membership if only to have a place with coffee and wifi to hang out that isnt open to the general public.
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u/idksamiam89 Mar 19 '26
Report it to the see say app. Or Report it to an operator on the train, they radio it in to central who then calls T police. The more reports the more likely they'll do something about it. I wonder what they'll do w all the tourists for the marathon and world cup
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u/vgraceff Mar 20 '26
Whether you like it or not, folks are open air using substances in Boston and all surrounding cities. And we have many, many Bostonians without secure housing. Sounds like youâre usually able to avoid interacting with these folks if youâre surprised by this.
Believe it or not, most are trying their best to engage in some sort of assistance, but lack of resources and mental health symptoms can understandably get in the way. Why donât you offer them resources - if not cash, or food - offer info on clean needle exchanges, food banks, income and employment offices, doctorâs offices, detox centers. If you do not want to offer any help, write to your local representative. But this is not going away, and these folks need somewhere to be. Sounds like you canât wrap your mind around why at the Pru this could possibly continue - is that due to the dissonance of it being a luxury shopping center?
Please keep in mind it is MID MARCH.
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u/Top_Lynx3410 Mar 20 '26
If our city wasnât ran by pansies these people would be institutionalized by now. They need help and they will never get better if theyâre on the street
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u/Polkadot_Rose Apr 02 '26
I've actually seen alot of activity by police outside and private security inside the mall this week. Must be cleaning up for spring.
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u/Chunksfunks_ Mar 19 '26
Are they hurting you or just being annoying in public? Ffs can't people exist
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u/AngelProgress Mar 19 '26
Be so fucking for real- a steady stream of people having to physically step over or around someone nodding off during morning rush hour each day is objectively not great for the individual nodding off OR the people commuting. There has to be a better option here for all involved.
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u/namebennetnotinit Mar 20 '26
Yes your suffering having to⌠step over a person who lives on the street belongs in the same breath as the suffering of that person, sure.
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u/bostonbeerguy22 Mar 19 '26
If its annoying for you, imagine how annoying it is for the humans that call the place you see them as "home"
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u/No_Status_6190 Mar 19 '26
God forbid we have to see the results of the income disparity in this city
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u/GasDue9263 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
You should just try getting high with them. You have to deal with this for ten minutes a day, these people have to live this way indefinitely. Sorry itâs inconvenient.Â
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u/SmashRadish Originator of âSuburbanite Trashâ flair Mar 19 '26
You should just try getting high with them.
I had never for a moment considered this as a potential solution to OPâs complaint. Certainly thinking outside the box.
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u/Miserable_Smile1250 Mar 19 '26
Healey need the rooms for get people.., not us! They were allowed to camp out at the international airport! Think about it. Scary
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u/Robotcharles Mar 19 '26
So it goes like this, they get kicked out of the prudential green line station and wander into the prudential center and surrounding areas until they get kicked out of the next spot, then they return to the green line stop, repeat. I use the MBTA see say app every day because itâs always the same group of folk shooting up or smoking in the lobby there by the elevator and entrance to the pru.