Safe in Central?

What's happening

The block around the library isn't working for anyone right now.

Since spring, neighbors on Pearl, Franklin and Green Streets and residents of the Manning building have documented a steady pattern around the library entrances, the underhang and the Green St Garage: open drug use and discarded needles, human waste in alleys and doorways, encampments on the sidewalk, people in acute crisis, and late-night disturbances that frighten kids and seniors.

We've reported it the right way — to Cambridge Police, to library staff, to City Councillors, to DPW and the BID. Some things have moved: more patrols, more cleaning, lighting being evaluated. Much of what we've been offered is six months to multiple years out. The people living this every day need something sooner.

This is not about pushing people out. Our first ask is housing and real support for the people who live on this block without a home. Our second is that public space has reasonable expectations that apply to everyone — and that someone actually owns enforcing them.

If something is happening right now

911: Emergency or crime in progress. Text 911 if you can't call.
617-349-3300: Cambridge Police non-emergency line. Call for anything that isn't an emergency but should be on record.
Then: Log it here so it counts in our records too.

Every call creates a record. Records are what move the City. Please call — even when it feels like nothing will change.

What we're asking the City

Six specific things. Each with a name on it and a date.

These were presented to Councillors on Oct 2 and go to the City Manager on Oct 27. We're asking for a named owner and a timeline on each — not a study.

Housing before winter

Indoor placement and ongoing support for the people living on this block without a home — with a named caseworker and a target date.

Lighting now

Fix the dark Pearl St library entrance and the Green St Garage. DPW has looked; we need an install date.

Cameras

Cameras at the library and in the Green St Garage. This has been sidestepped so far. We want a direct answer.

Clear expectations, enforced

One consistent set of behavioral expectations for the library area — posted, shared by outreach workers, and backed up when they're ignored. And a clear answer on who has the authority to enforce.

Reclaim the underhang

Turn the library's covered space back into community space — programmed with the BID the way Carl Barron Plaza is, starting with the holidays.

A day center for Central Square

Somewhere people can go during the day that isn't the library steps. The City is talking about it. We want a site and a budget line.

The survey

Two minutes. Twenty taps. It goes straight to the City Manager.

Who it's for: anyone who lives, works or spends time around Pearl St, Franklin St, Green St and the library — including Manning residents.

18 single-tap questions, 2 optional write-ins
We ask for your name and street only, to confirm you're a neighbor. No specific address.
Individual responses stay confidential. Only totals are shared.
Deadline: Sunday, October 25.

Take the survey

Prefer paper? Large-print copies are at the Manning community room and with any Pearl St neighbor.

Scan to open

Report what you see

Call police first. Then log it here.

We keep a running record of incidents on the block and share it, in summary, with the City. Dates, times and whether police came are what make it credible. Your contact info is optional and never published.

Please don't include names or identifying details of individuals in crisis. Describe what happened, not who.

Date Approx. time

Where What happened Did you call police? Did police respond?

Your name optional Email or phone optional

OK to include this (without my name) in what we share with the City and press

Where this stands

We've been at this since last winter.

Dec 2025First request to meet with library leadership. Declined. Four more since — none accepted.
Winter–Spring 2026Ongoing documentation with Cambridge Police's Community Action Team and library staff. Things improved over winter, then slid back.
Aug 3, 2026First neighborhood meeting. Cambridge Police attended. The library declined to host.
Sept 2026First neighbor survey — 31 responses — turned into a briefing for City Councillors.
Oct 2, 2026Meeting at City Hall with Councillors Zusy, Al-Zubi and McGovern. Six asks delivered. Response: more patrols and cleaning, lighting under review, and longer-term plans — a day center, programming, housing outreach.
Oct 8, 2026Pearl St neighbors and the Manning building tenant council join forces. ~260 more residents at the table.
Oct 25"Safe in Central?" survey closes.
Oct 27Meeting with the City Manager. We bring the survey, the incident log, and the six asks.
Early NovProgress check with Councillors on the 30-day actions.

Join us

More neighbors on the list is the whole strategy.

You'll get a short update when something happens — a meeting, a decision, a win — and the occasional ask to show up or send an email. Nothing more than that.

Want to do more? There's room: cleanups and planting along the sidewalks, a community mural on Pearl St, Halloween at the library underhang, outreach to churches and businesses, and keeping the pressure on City Hall.