Minneapolis clears second homeless encampment in a week
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A North Minneapolis homeless encampment after it was cleared. Photo courtsey of Nikki Carlson
On Thursday, the city of Minneapolis evicted 25 to 30 people from a North Minneapolis homeless encampment where they had been living.
- This is the second eviction within a week. The city also cleared an encampment in South Minneapolis at 28th Street and Bloomington Avenue on Sept. 30.
What happened: Police arrived around 7am and restricted access to the site, Nikki Carlson, a volunteer at the encampment and a neighbor tells Axios.
In its statement, the city said that it gave people ample time to gather their belongings. However, Carlson tells Axios that encampment residents were only given "five minutes."
- The city had ordered residents to leave in the summer, so volunteers knew an eviction was likely coming but didn't know when.
Zoom in: The site is at 205 Girard Ave. N., a city-owned parcel just north of the impound lot.
What they're saying: The city called the encampment and public safety and health challenge.
- It said a homeless response team has made frequent visits over the last two years to provide information about services and shelter options, "but the majority of people living at the encampment have declined those resources."
The other side: Carlson tells Axios the city made those visits frequently in 2021, but not in 2022, and there has been turnover at the encampment.
- She says the city needs to do more intensive outreach before an eviction as it takes time to connect people to the services they need.
- "The unfortunate truth is the services that the city and county offer are not sufficient for people really struggling with mental illness or addiction," she says.
- "There were people that I had on waiting list to get into treatment from (the) South (encampment) and now they're just wandering around. I can't find them."
What's ahead: There is one sizable encampment left in the city, near the Northeast Minneapolis Quarry shopping center. The city confirmed to Axios that it has posted "no trespassing" signs there as well.