Discovery of People Living in Boston Self-Storage Units Sheds Light on Local Housing Crisis

The discovery this week of several people living in units at a Boston CubeSmart self-storage facility has brought attention to the city’s housing crisis. Authorities conducting property inspections in the historic Dorchester neighborhood found storage spaces at 968 Massachusetts Ave. outfitted with curtains, ice chests and coolers, food, and electrical cords, according to a source. “That just indicates the desperate nature of housing here in Boston,” said Joseph Finn, executive director of the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance.

CubeSmart was ordered to vacate the units due to the severity of the violations, the Boston Inspectional Services Department said in a statement. A sign was posted on the facility’s front door stating that property access would be limited to office hours, effective immediately. The office is open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, a source reported.

A facility tenant told investigators she was renting a 20-by-20 unit for $230 a month. In comparison, a studio apartment measuring 26 by 20 feet is on the market just a few blocks away for $2,100 a month, a source reported. The median rent in Boston is $2,750, according to real estate company Zillow.

Although lotteries are held for rent-restricted apartments, scores of people vie for them, according to Robyn Frost, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. In addition to self-storage units, the homeless have set up tents in the woods.

“People do try to find whatever they can,” said Barbara Trevisan, a representative of the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter. “We have many folks who come through our shelter who are working, but they don’t earn enough of an income to have an apartment here.”

City officials are looking to build more than 200 units of permanent supportive housing for the area’s homeless. “What we have really determined is that we need additional housing resources,” said Sheila Dillon, chief of housing and director of neighborhood development. Two possible sites for the residences have been identified. The city hopes to raise $10 million through philanthropy for the project, a source reported.

About 50 percent of the city’s “chronically” homeless are from outside the area, according to city data. Boston draws these people because of its high concentration of services, medical care and transportation, according to a source.

CubeSmart is a self-storage real estate investment trust that owns or manages 987 self-storage facilities across the United States. Its operating portfolio comprises more than 60.5 million square feet.

Sources:
Boston Herald, Self-Storage Evictions Point to Larger Crisis
Boston Herald, Boston Proposes $10M Plan to Help House Homeless