SOUTHAMPTON — The orange-and-black former Harley-Davidson building is being considered as a temporary processing facility for legal immigrant families and others who might be displaced because of a natural disaster.

Town Administrator Ed Gibson said the building may end up housing 100 families, or up to 400 people, for a week at a time over six months as families find more permanent housing solutions throughout the state.

Throughout the past week, officials from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Department of Housing and Community Development and the governor’s office have contacted local officials about the 17 College Highway building, Gibson said in a statement. The site is one of several in western Massachusetts the state agencies are evaluating as an option.

“We are not sure at this time if this location will be chosen, as the situation is fluid and all the details are not yet fully decided,” Gibson said. “First and foremost, the property owner needs to agree to temporarily use this property for this purpose.”

Impact on town

Bintula Patel of Westfield has owned the property since 2021. Patel, who also owns Smitty’s Discount Liquors across the street at 16 College Highway, purchased the property as Shivesha LLC for $2.4 million from previous owners Aaron and Monica Patrick. The Patricks closed the Harley-Davidson dealership in September 2020.

Gibson said the discussion so far has involved the potential impact on fire and emergency medical services, the Board of Health and services at William E. Norris School.

Southampton Select Board Chair Chris Fowles said in an email that some residents had reached out seeking more specific information such as the sewer and water capacity of the site and how long people would be staying.

“We waited to say something until we understood the situation more fully. We did not want to put out incorrect information,” Fowles wrote. 

As the building is considered, officials are looking at its capacity for housing the people who would be processed through the 27,000-square-foot facility within a week’s time and then moved to permanent housing in other areas of Massachusetts.

Should the town and Patel strike an agreement with the state, the contract would provide specifics on the responsibilities and management of the facility. Gibson estimated that the process would likely continue over a six-month period.

Services for immigrant families would be provided by third-party contractors hired by the state, including cots, bedding, laundry services, food and overall site management. There would also be portable shower/toilet facilities that would be pumped weekly if not more frequently given the building is not on a sewer system.

“The facility would be staffed on a 24/7 basis. Unless families are here longer than a week, there would be no impact on Norris school,” Gibson said. “Should they be here longer, we would need to further discuss placement of children and additional English language services with the state agencies overseeing the facility.”

‘Right to shelter’

By law, Massachusetts requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to find shelter for eligible families. It’s the only “right to shelter” state in the country.

DHCD has roughly 3,600 shelter units throughout the state, nearly all of which are occupied. As such, the agency has needed to use nontraditional spaces more often.

According to state law, DHCD shall provide a program “at locations that are geographically convenient to families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and shall administer the program in a fair, just and equitable manner.”

In May, DHCD contacted the municipality of Shrewsbury, a community of 37,000 people outside of Worcester, to temporarily place 16 families at lodgings in town.

In the meantime, Gibson said town officials are in contact with state officials as circumstances continue to evolve. If Harley-Davidson is selected, the first group of families could move in as early as July.

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