South End residents are taking action as frustrations mount over public safety issues stemming from the Mass and Cass area, with new data showing a dramatic increase in arrests and community members organizing politically to address the crisis.

At a community meeting held last Thursday at Cathedral High School, dozens of South End residents shared accounts of deteriorating conditions in their neighborhood, with some saying they're considering relocating as their only option to feel safe again, according to the Boston Herald. One father asked Boston Public Health Commissioner Bisola Ojikutu what mattered more: his children's right to grow up safely in their neighborhood or other people's right to buy and use drugs, the Herald reported.

A resident who lives near Boston Medical Center told officials he had been calling 911 almost daily until September, describing the hospital as effectively hosting a public drug market on its front lawn, according to the Herald's coverage.

The concerns come as new police statistics paint a stark picture of the neighborhood's challenges. Between May 1 and August 24, 2025, the South End saw 478 arrests—a 163% increase from the 182 arrests during the same period in 2024, Boston.com reported on October 22, citing data from a Boston Police Department Community CompStat meeting.

In response to the ongoing crisis, residents have formed a new political advocacy group. The Mass and Cass Political Action Committee was established to educate voters about the positions held by elected officials and candidates regarding issues facing residents, businesses, and workers in the area, according to a statement provided to The Daily Free Press on October 16.

The committee, which says it's funded by grassroots donations, aims to track how city council members and candidates address crime and safety concerns at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard.