Cambridge To Relocate Emergency Homeless Shelter To Spaulding

CAMBRIDGE, MA — Cambridge has signed a deal to lease and fund a new temporary homeless shelter in the east wing of Spaulding Hospital-Cambridge on Cambridge Street, the city announced Monday.

This new 57 bed emergency shelter will replace the shelter at the War Memorial Recreational Center and will be for adults experiencing homelessness who are not experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus. The city is funding renovations of the first and second floors of the empty east wing of the hospital to prepare for the shelter, which is slated to open in November.

The War Memorial emergency shelter, which opened in April, had three distinct services areas, including a quarantine area, isolation area, and shelter area for non-symptomatic persons experiencing homelessness who do not have access to day or overnight services.

When the state opened quarantine and isolation facilities, the War Memorial shelter transitioned to only non infected guests.

"This space was always intended to be temporary and returned to the school department for academic use," said Cambridge City Manager Louis DePasquale in a statement. “I want to thank Spaulding Hospital for leasing the City part of its facility on Cambridge Street so that we can relocate the temporary emergency shelter from the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School campus."

The War Memorial emergency shelter was set up to allow existing shelters to reduce crowding. It also provided shelter for those who had been served by seasonal shelters that were closing such as the Warming Center and Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.

The City of Cambridge will fund the entirety of the shelter operation. This project is CARES Act funding eligible and the City expects to submit approximately $ 3.4 million for reimbursement to support this critical initiative.

The City Manager and Commissioner of Public Health have issued an emergency order temporarily suspending enforcement of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance at Spaulding Hospital to allow the space to be used as a homeless shelter.

"By continuing to provide a Temporary Emergency Shelter for Cambridge residents experiencing homelessness, we will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among our most vulnerable residents," Cambridge Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Assaad Sayah said in a statement. "The more we can do to keep all residents safely distanced, regardless of where they call home, the greater chance we have to prevent increased illness due to this epidemic."