This article is part one of a three-part series by The Enterprise on homelessness in Brockton.
BROCKTON–The coffee truck comes early in the morning. The driver parks on the street, on the edge of the entrance to Perkins Park. He comes a few times every week, passing out coffee and breakfast. He usually leaves before 9 a.m.
Some locals congregate on the sidewalk outside the park, while others sit on a ledge around the park’s perimeter.
The day inside of Perkins Park begins.
The afternoons seem calm and slow. People lounge in the shade under the trees, sipping on coffee from Styrofoam cups, or watermelon-flavored juice from plastic bottles or Captain Morgan rum from tiny nips. Some pick up lunch from shelter next door and eat sandwiches in the shade of the large oak tree.
Father Bill’s & MainSpring closes in the morning. People who stayed the previous night have to leave between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. They can't come back until 6 p.m. They're allowed to leave their belongingsinside if they plan to return the next night.
Pat Ronan, aFather Bill's & MainSpring spokesperson, said the shelter provides beds for roughly 130 individual adults each night, totalingapproximately 1,000 individual adults per year. Father Bill'sPresident John Yazwinskisaid the fastest-growing age groupthe shelter provides services for is 18- to24-year-olds.
Between 60% and 70% of people who use the shelter's services aretemporarily homeless, using the services for a few months. Roughly 20% to 30% are "chronically homeless."
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According to JazmineBradsher, Brockton's director of social services, there are between 50 and 60 people in Brockton who currently live on the streets long-term, but the number is often difficult to accurately determine.
"People who are struggling with homelessness don't want to be homeless," said Yaszwinski.
Homelessness in Brockton has changed over the last 10 to 11 years. In the past, people experiencing homelessness set up tents in makeshift "tent cities."But many were removed during the tenure of Brockton's lateformer Mayor Bill Carpenter.
Most people experiencing homelessness in Brockton todayspend the day at Elm Street Day Center.
Perkins Park regulars are a'family'
But for those who spend their time in Perkins Park, they’ve built somewhat of a close-knit community.
Many people described the park as a “family.” As one person said, it’s mostly a judgment-free area. Others understand your situation, or at least as much as they can.
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They often protect each other. It’s obvious when someone conspicuous enters that park. When someone is seen as getting harassed –by a reporter, a police officer –others step in to ward off the intruder dipping their toe into their privacy.
When asked by The Enterprise about their experiences, many people decided not to comment. Others shared their concerns and worries: Why the citywon’t build more affordable housing, why the police monitor the park so heavily.
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Perkins Park has a reputation for being a hotbed for substance use and violence. Fire Chief BrianNardellisaid the Fire Department frequently responds to overdoses in that area of the city. Even somepeople experiencing homelessness said thatonly “druggies” spend time in the park.
According to Bradsher, there is often a stigma that people experiencing homelessness also use substances, but only a small number of unhoused Brocktonians do so, she said.
Among those experiencing homelessness who struggle with substance-use disorders, alcohol and opioids like heroin and, particularly, fentanyl areused most commonly, Bradsher and Yazwinski said.
"Part of the problem here is, especially with the park, the drug dealers are preying on the homeless," Yazwinski said.
Bradsher said that those who struggle with substance-use disorders are often reluctant to spend a night inside a shelter where alcohol and drugs are banned.
Donna Dougherty, 68,is homeless, and volunteers for the Keys of the KingdomTabernacle of Prayer –an old churchnext door to the park. She often serves food to other people who are unhoused through the bars of the gate covering the church’s front door.
She doesn’t use drugs but said that she’s a “gambler.” After going though intense depression and a divorce, she became homeless. She used to live in the old "tent city," but now, she spends time with her neighbors in Perkins Park.
“These are my people. This is my community,” she said one afternoon in July. Her voice shook. Her eyes nearly began to swell, a slight smileacross her face.
Another man close by chuckled as he picked up a large-sizedplastic Dunkin' cup filled with new syringes off a black and red blanket spread out across the grass.
“He always laughs at me when I start to cry,” she said.
The man laughed again before walking away.
Police presence
Earlier in the day, roughly 100 yards away on the other side of the church, a police car lurched forward to a halt. The officer parked there to monitor the area. The police often keep a watchful eye on the park and those within it.
“Why don’t you write about why the police come in and kick people out of the park. It’s a public park,” one womansaid.
According to some in the park, the police only cause a ruckuswhen someone is doing something illegal. Otherwise, they leave them alone.
But with the reputation of violence and drug use the park holds, the police and fire departments often frequent the area.
"I've lived through enough deaths, the city does nothing to help," saidDougherty.
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Brockton Police Department Director of Communications Darren Duarte said that "police respond to the park for medical emergencies and when receiving complaints of illegal drug activity, public drinkingand other quality-of-life Issues and crimes."
Yazwinski said that since the pandemic began, Brockton has seen an uptick in substance use among the homeless community.
"That's not a homeless issue. We have to tackle that as a substance-use issue," he said.
According to Yazwinski, that is not unique to Brockton. Across many areas of the state, the number of people who are unhoused has grown in the last two years.
"We're seeing it in all the communities, not just in the Brocktons or the Quincys. We're seeing those increases in some of the suburban communities," he said.
Doughertyleans against the metalfence that runs between the park and the church. She turns away and begins walking back to the church. She turned to look once more at the park.
"It looks like the cop left," she said.
Enterprise staff reporterChris Butler can be reached by email atcbutler@enterprisenews.com.You can follow him on Twitter at @Chr1sButler. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.
