BOSTON — Leaders from different branches of government, business leaders, and active community members are vowing to clean up the unsavory perception plaguing Downtown Boston.
A two-hour closed-door meeting on Thursday night addressed the on-going drug dealing, drug use, petty crime, and shoplifting the district has been inundated with.
More than 70 elected leaders, public health officials, law enforcement members, and other active stakeholders attended the private event with the same collective goal.
Organizers said some of the activity that’s been on display in Downtown Crossing and on Boston Common is steering people away and preventing the area from reaching its potential.
That sentiment has been echoed by business owners who are invested in the area.
“A lot of the families we want to come down and enjoy their day and night in Downtown Boston are seeing things that should not be happening in public,” said Babek Bina, a prominent restauranteur and business owner.
Bina owns six concepts in Downtown Crossing - The Wig Shop, Somaek, Bogie’s Place, jm Curley, Temple Records, & Sushi @ Temple Records.
“We want to neighborhood to not only be safe but look safe,” he said. “We need more attention. We need them to focus on downtown.”
Data from the Boston Police Department shows total crime reached the highest level in least seven years in Downtown Crossing and the Boston Common area in 2024.
The 995 crimes reported include shoplifting, petty crime, & drug-dealing.
“We have significant public safety challenges in Downtown Boston. We can’t ignore them,” said District 2 Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the city’s vision for Downtown Boston goes beyond being a thriving commercial and economic hub.
She said the goal is to create a vibrant environment where people want to live.
“A 24-hour neighborhood where there’s thriving businesses, foot traffic, people out and about having a good time,” said Mayor Wu. “That’s really complex to support all those pieces.”
The city announced an expanded approach to crack down on congregate drug use this week.
“Active groups of individuals engaged in congregate substance use and dealing undermine quality of life in city neighborhoods, particularly in the Downtown and Boston Common, Roxbury, the South End and parts of Dorchester and South Boston and hinder ongoing efforts to connect individuals to addiction and recovery services and treatment,” said a Coordinated Response Team memo.
“It shows the mayor is on it, and the police commissioner is on it,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz with the 3rd Suffolk District. “Now it’s about having some real dialogue and some real understanding of the challenges.”
Organizers of Thursday’s meeting, who live and work in Downtown Boston, said the powerful opioid fentanyl and synthetic marijuana, known as K2, has been making drug users especially volatile.
They’re hoping the city’s targeted approach on groups using drugs in public will help get some of those people the help that they need.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
