Boston City Hall 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201

"Why cant the city use refugee camps for refugees? I think Boston is a well-managed city compared to some of the other cities I've seen but the situation for refugees has left a number of questions on my mind. Why doesn't the city build a refugee camp for the influx of refugees coming in from Haiti, Mexico and the Middle East. Why is the city not taking any steps to lead in the area of human rights for people seeking refuge? Just the war in Iraq is said to have displaced over 9.2 million people for instance. People in similar circumstances need urgent assistance. I've seen refugees in Boston sleeping on the floor in shelters, outside in the streets and at the airport where there are no showers. Why can't the city build a refugee camp like the ones in Europe? I think shelters are ideal for people with severe addiction problems, mental illness and recently released inmates from prison but not ideal for refugees especially those with families. They need somewhere to store their clothes and the shelters are not ideal because of issues with theft of bags, computers and phone. This happens everyday because people sleep in huge dorms. They are also extremely dirty especially the toilets. Its also a health hazard keeping people so close together because airborne diseases can spread so easily. I have attached some pictures of a refugee camp in Turkey and other pictures of the situation in Boston. Maybe someone can explain the cities strategy when it comes to housing refugees."

"City Hall was quiet, clean, not busy with people. I went to get a copy of my birth certificate. I was shocked that the fee was $12. Geez every entity needs money. You"d think as a Boston resident that ownes property, pays taxes that you can obtain a copy of your birth certificate. Is the $12 paying the wages of the ride woman at the window!"

"The city does a lot of things right, but the bike lanes are a lot of fake caring. Look at the sign. There were even 2 BPD vehicles parked on the plaza 50 ft away. There's no interest from the city in enforcing who uses the bike lanes."

"If you're a fan of Brutalist style architecture, this is your Chrysler Building. If not (perhaps most people), the Old State House is right around the corner, and it's a much more interesting site, juxtaposed against the modern high rises surrounding it."