Minneapolis prepared to clear encampment in East Phillips neighborhood
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Tuesday's fatal shooting of a 45-year-old man has heightened concerns about a south Minneapolis homeless encampment.
Why it matters: A city plan to clear the camp has divided the community. Some say it will traumatize residents, most of whom still have no place to go. Others argue it's become a health and safety hazard.
Catch up fast: Minneapolis officials warned on Dec. 5 that they would empty what's become known as Camp Nenookaasi. It pushed back the clearing date from Dec. 14 to Dec. 19 to give residents more time to find housing.
- The city says it has funded an outreach organization to help residents find housing and has set up a nearby community to offer daytime shelter and services.
Zoom in: The encampment is at 23rd Street and 13th Avenue in the East Phillips neighborhood. Many of the 180+ residents moved there after being evicted in August from one along Hiawatha, according to the Sahan Journal.
What they're saying: Organizers at the camp said that since its formation in August, 74 people have found housing and 33 have entered treatment. While 52 people anticipate finding housing this week, they said 134 have nowhere to go.
- 90% of residents are Indigenous, they said.
- "It takes forever to get into housing," organizer Christin Crabtree told the Sahan Journal. "There are so many hoops that people have to jump through. That process is disrupted by the evictions that our government does."
The other side: The city distributed a list of around 100 police calls to the encampment since August, including reports of overdoses, assault, and shootings.
- The Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors wrote a letter to the city demanding the camp be closed, describing a scene of open drug use, women and girls being dragged into cars at night, and public sex acts.
What we're watching: If the city sticks to its new Dec. 19 date.