Saint James Church porches and nearby condo residents press council for night‑time care-team funding and coordination

Speakers from Saint James’ Episcopal Church and nearby condominium residents addressed the City Council during public comment on Sept. 8 about Policy Order 108, which would direct the city to address safety, sanitation and services at the garden and porches of Saint James Church on Massachusetts Avenue.

Alice Killian, junior warden at Saint James’ Episcopal Church, described increased porch use last summer, more items left behind, evidence of drug use and larger groups sleeping on church porches. She said volunteers had organized daily cleanups and the church hired a “community engagement associate” to build relationships with unhoused neighbors.

“We can support public services such as the CARE team,” Killian said, and “we can partner with public organizations such as the police department and the city.”

Multiple condo residents who live overlooking the garden described overnight gatherings, loud drug transactions and discarded needles. Susan Miller Havens, a nurse who lives at 7 Beach Street, urged the council to “fund their care team at night” and asked that any order include “a latitude for police enforcement.” Cheryl Hamlin said the garden rule that had predated the condo building prohibited public access after dusk and asked for more cooperation with police.

At the same time, parishioners including Reverend Matthew Stewart and Rebecca Bjork said the church’s role has been to provide respite, compassion and outreach. Bjork said parishioners perform daily checks and that police officers told her they do not consider the church property a “hot spot.” Reverend Stewart cautioned against labeling all activity “unsafe” without deeper inquiry.

Speakers reported a mediation between church and condominium leadership that produced a tentative agreement; Steven Berridge of 7 Beach Street said lawyers were finalizing that agreement and that the condo association and church had met a full day for mediation.

The council later took action on a related policy order (a charter-right item concerning oversight of the garden) and adopted an amended order asking the city manager to coordinate with the Community Safety Department, Cambridge Police Department and other entities to monitor the garden area and to report back. The council’s adoption of the amended order followed public comment and statements at the meeting that the parties had reached a tentative agreement via mediation.

Why it matters: The testimony highlights tensions between place-based compassionate outreach to people experiencing homelessness and residents’ concerns about public safety, sanitation and nighttime disturbance. Multiple speakers asked for expanded night-time care-team coverage and better coordination among police, care teams and nonprofit service providers.

What’s next: Councilors asked city staff to coordinate with police, community safety, care teams and service providers and to report back; the adopted amended order directed monitoring and a report back to the council.