The state has announced the complete evacuation of a mold-infested emergency shelter in Boston's Brighton neighborhood.
Authorities announced last week the relocation of 24 families, but have now decided to move everyone living there until repair work is completed.
Among them was Thomas Kearney and his two boys, who lived at the shelter.
“They needed to address the situation again because you already took half the building why not take out the whole building and a few days later they were here and the whole building is empty now," Kearney said.
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Earlier other families who called this place their home moved to other shelters.
With all their lives packed into bags and containers, the rest of the 44 families living in this shelter at the former Charles River Motel left the place.
Edward Contreras was among two dozen families transferred last week. He says his room was infested with mold.
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"Very concerned for my kids I noticed for months that they had a terrible cough but I couldn't seem to figure it out, and I started noticing that saw mold," he said.
"It's just frustrating you know because kids you know the other people there females living in those conditions," Contreras said.
According to the state the families living at the shelter were homeless and also migrants
"They can't really speak English to well and they're immigrants, and they are scared to speak up," Contreas commented.
In a statement Friday, the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities said, "We are grateful to Catholic Charities for maintaining continuity of care as families are moved to alternative shelter locations while this site is remediated."
For his part, Jeffrey Thielman, president of the International Institute of New England, said that “a person is receiving a place where they can live. In many cases, people accept the situation they are experiencing and do not complain.”
The state said they do not yet have a timeline for when the repair process will be completed, adding that the cost of that work will be covered by the hotel owner.
NBC10 Boston contacted them but has not yet received a response.
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