BOSTON – Councilor Flynn is urging South Boston neighbors to attend future community meetings to support the South Boston Community Health Center (SBCHC). This is in response to a recent business proposal by a private company to establish a for-profit Urgent Care Clinic at 457-469A West Broadway. A community meeting scheduled by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services for January 29th was postponed recently. The proponent had also been provided a Zoning Board of Appeal date for February 6th prior to receiving any feedback from the community or South Boston Elected Officials.

The proposed location of the new for-profit Urgent Care Clinic and its proximity (less than a block away) to the non-profit South Boston Community Health Center poses concerns for the financial stability and operations of the Health Center. Over the past 50 years, the SBCHC has provided important health care services in South Boston, servicing 70,000 visits per year that includes families, seniors, persons with disabilities, immigrant neighbors, communities of color, and our most vulnerable in public housing. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, SBCHC was the first community health center in Suffolk County to provide vaccines for seniors and the immunocompromised and delivered a total of over 35,000 doses to the community. SBCHC also has an Urgent Care post on Congress Street in the South Boston Waterfront that takes non-patients with low cost, validated parking next door; and in addition, their main West Broadway office is accepting new patients, and also looking to expand urgent care to non-patients in the coming months. A considerable portion of SBCHC’s staff are currently represented by SEIU 1199, whereas the new for-profit Urgent Care Clinic is a non-union business.

“The South Boston Community Health Center has been a long-time partner and an indispensable resource to the people of South Boston. The Health Center has a track record of delivering world-class healthcare families and residents across South Boston- including our seniors, persons with disabilities, immigrants, communities of color and neighbors in public housing,” said Councilor Flynn. “I stand with my fellow South Boston Elected Officials and unequivocally oppose the for-profit proposal. I respectfully ask that my neighbors attend the upcoming community meetings – once more information becomes available – to help us protect public health in South Boston and ensure that no services, staff, or programs are jeopardized at the SBCHC. It is critical to show our support for the SBCHC and their staff.”

For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and [email protected].