The state’s decision to commandeer the Bob Eisengrein Community Center at Devens for use as a place to process and find emergency housing for homeless people in Massachusetts was controversial when it was announced last month. But on Monday night, MassDevelopment’s acting executive vice president for Devens was ready to declare the center’s operation a success.
The occasion was the first 2023 meeting of the Devens Committee, the elected advisory body that meets monthly with MassDevelopment officials to discuss issues of concern to residents and to hear reports of the agency’s work. Unlike an elected town select board, however, the Devens Committee has no vote in the governance of the state-managed Devens community.
Acting Devens Executive Vice President Meg Delorier told committee members that the center, operated by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, is averaging 44 clients per day, well below its capacity to house and feed up to 125 people. Most have been moved to other housing within a day, though a small number had been housed for three to five nights before being moved elsewhere. There were currently 15 children in the center, eight of school age, she said. “They [MEMA] are being quite successful in bringing families in and finding them more permanent housing—even if it’s in another shelter—relatively quickly,” she reported.
Lt. Reid Bagley, who leads the state police contingent at Devens, reported that there had been no incidents at the center, aside from a few medical calls, that should concern residents. “There was one call of a suspicious person in the community center parking lot, and it turned out to be a resident who had driven there and went out for a walk,” he said.
One resident among the roughly half-dozen who attended Monday’s meeting at 33 Andrews Parkway asked whether the center would remain open beyond the six months stipulated in MEMA’s occupancy permit. No, answered Delorier. “We have made it clear that come the spring, we have activities that take place on Rogers Field [which is adjacent to the center]. We utilize the community center for some of those activities.” There could be some overlap in the spring, she said, “but there is no discussion or plan to extend the use of the community center beyond that time.”
Lance Nielson, a resident who regularly attends and comments at Devens Committee meetings, wondered how many of the clients came from “the streets of Boston, the streets of America, or elsewhere.” Delorier said she did not have access to that information. “All I do know is that they are homeless people in the commonwealth.”
Delorier’s report drew praise from one attendee. “I don’t live across the street, so I’m not there every day, but it’s very pleasing to me to see that [the center] is clearly being successful, that people who are very vulnerable are being helped,” said Susan Gabriel. “It’s very good news to the entire community that people are being helped and we’re able to be of service.”
The meeting lasted an hour and a half, with nearly an hour devoted to a presentation by Devens Enterprise Commission officials and consultants about plans for two to six pocket forests that will be established at sites in Ayer and Devens over the next few years as part of the communities’ climate action plans, funded by a $232,000 Massachusetts municipal vulnerability preparedness (MVP) grant. (The entire presentation is available at: https://www.devensec.com/news.html.)
Housing was also on the mind of at least one attendee who asked during public comment whether MassDevelopment was aware of any discussions that might lead to use of Devens land for housing, given Gov. Maura Healey’s stated goal to use state-owned land to build much-needed new housing in Massachusetts. Delorier said she was not aware of any discussion, but acknowledged reports that Healy plans legislation to split the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and create a new agency devoted entirely to housing. She said MassDevelopment CEO Dan Rivera and staff were preparing a briefing for the new governor and would know more in coming weeks. The semi-independent MassDevelopment board of directors is currently chaired by the Baker-appointed Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy.
New members, new officers
At its Monday night meeting, the committee welcomed Michael Alves of Bradley Circle and Cindy Carter of Cavite Street, who were elected in December to fill two of the committee’s three open slots. They joined Tracy Clark of Auman Street who was reelected to a fourth consecutive three-year term. The terms of all three began Jan. 1 and will end Dec. 31, 2025. The terms of Bill Dustin and Chetan Mistry, the remaining two members of the committee, expire in 2024.
Clark, Carter, and Dustin were present Monday to provide the quorum needed to elect officers for the coming year. Clark was reelected as chair. Dustin was chosen to continue as recording secretary, and Alves was elected vice chair. Clark said that prior to the meeting he had spoken with all five members and had their unanimous support for this year’s officers.
Because the committee’s traditional meeting schedule conflicts with that of one newly elected member, the group voted to switch its meeting time to 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 1.
