Holyoke Not a Refuge for Homeless

The new shopping arcade at Holyoke Center may look warm and welcoming to most. But the homeless people who gather for warmth on the air-exchange grates outside the building say that police are sending a very different message.

Homeless people said earlier this week that University police regularly ask them to leave the grates. And one homeless man interviewed said he thinks homeless people are being asked to leave more frequently since the "Shops by Harvard Yard" opened.

"They have been asking us to move more," he said. "I think it's because more people are walking by."

Still, he said he doesn't blame the police. "It's their job," he said.

According to the Harvard Police log, homeless people have been asked to leave the grates seven times in the past week.

One police officer speaking on condition of anonymity said that policy requires officers to remove people from the grates upon receiving complaints. But police often use their own judgment.

"The more calls you get the more times you respond," he said. "If they're not bothering anybody and there's not a complaint, we leave them alone."

"A lot of these guys are afraid to go to the shelter," he said. "If you saw the shelter you'd see why."

Lieutenant Charles Schwab of the department said he had received complaints from people inside the Center.Occupants complained that leaves and other debriscaught on fire when lit cigarette butts fallthrough the grates, sending smoke into thebuilding via the air shaft, Schwab said.

A metal screen fixed over the grates issupposed to prevent such a fire.

Schwab said the area has become a place ofcongregation for homeless people in the last sixyears, as a result of economic conditions.

"There has been an increase in the homeless notjust in the Cambridge area but nationwide," hesaid.

Schwab said that the heated grates near Holyokeappear to be the most popular place in the Squarefor homeless people to gather, but he said thathomeless people also frequent other campuslocations.

"sometimes during a cold spell they'll gatherin the cafeteria of the Science Center," Schwabsaid. "They are informed that the area is part ofthe University."

Schwab said homeless are asked to move along sothat the cafeteria does not "become anattraction."

"The University is not in the business ofsupporting the community through homelessshelters," he said.

Schwab also said that when police ask thehomeless to leave, they give them information onnearby homeless shelters.

But one panhandler said police should notdisturb those on the grates. "The police shouldn'tbother them. What are they going to do if theydon't have a place?" she asked.

She said that many homeless people are afraidto go to shelters because they're afraid of losingthe little money they possess by being robbed.

"They'll [the shelters will] take a womanbefore they take a man--but some women are afraidof being robbed too," she said.

One Harvard police officer compared a certainshelter to "the dawn of the dead.

A metal screen fixed over the grates issupposed to prevent such a fire.

Schwab said the area has become a place ofcongregation for homeless people in the last sixyears, as a result of economic conditions.

"There has been an increase in the homeless notjust in the Cambridge area but nationwide," hesaid.

Schwab said that the heated grates near Holyokeappear to be the most popular place in the Squarefor homeless people to gather, but he said thathomeless people also frequent other campuslocations.

"sometimes during a cold spell they'll gatherin the cafeteria of the Science Center," Schwabsaid. "They are informed that the area is part ofthe University."

Schwab said homeless are asked to move along sothat the cafeteria does not "become anattraction."

"The University is not in the business ofsupporting the community through homelessshelters," he said.

Schwab also said that when police ask thehomeless to leave, they give them information onnearby homeless shelters.

But one panhandler said police should notdisturb those on the grates. "The police shouldn'tbother them. What are they going to do if theydon't have a place?" she asked.

She said that many homeless people are afraidto go to shelters because they're afraid of losingthe little money they possess by being robbed.

"They'll [the shelters will] take a womanbefore they take a man--but some women are afraidof being robbed too," she said.

One Harvard police officer compared a certainshelter to "the dawn of the dead.