Milford warns owners of storage facilities against allowing homeless to live in units

MILFORD, Mass. — The recent murder of a homeless man who was living in a rented storage unit has Milford’s Board of Health issuing advisories to the owner of several self-storage facilities.

In mid August, 54-year-old Paul Weaver was murdered inside a downtown storage facility. Authorities determined Weaver was living in the unit where he was found, which is against the law.

State Police arrested a 28-year-old man in Virginia for Weaver’s murder.

Milford’s Board of Health recently sent the owner of the Beach Street storage facility a letter warning him that it is against the law to allow anyone to live inside a self storage unit. The letter also ordered the owner to remove anyone still living in the facility and to secure it against anyone else from moving in.

The Board of Health advised the owner that violations are punishable by $500 fines for each offense

The owners of other Milford self storage facilities were also sent notices.

Capt. Kevin Polito of the Greater Milford Salvation Army said the incident is proof that homelessness is a serious problem outside the state’s major cities.

“Because people don’t see the evidence as much as you would in a bigger urban environment, they just think it doesn’t exist,” Polito said. “Homelessness is absolutely an issue here in Milford and the surrounding communities. We need to do a better job getting the word out about what options are available for these people.”

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