City evicts Minneapolis encampment after neighbors attempt to clear tents

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After a group of neighbors attempted to clear a homeless encampment in Minneapolis over the weekend, the city has evicted people living on the property.

What we know

The City of Minneapolis Department of Regulatory Service says workers closed the encampment at 31st Street East and 4th Avenue South on Wednesday morning.

The closure was done by the city's Homeless Response Team working with the police department and the owners of the property. The city says the 30 people living in the encampment were offered resources and shelter. It's unclear how many took the city up on their offer.

"No one should have to sleep outside, and we want to help our residents find suitable arrangements in the most humane way we can," a statement from Regulatory Services Director Enrique Velazquez reads.

Background

The encampment set up at 31st and 4th has moved across south Minneapolis this summer. It appears residents will move onto a vacant lot until the city moves to evict. When that happens, residents will pull up stakes and move to a new vacant lot, sometimes blocks away.

Before coming to 31st and 4th, the encampment had been set up at 33rd Street and 3rd Avenue South. However, after a deadly shooting at the encampment on Monday, August 19, the encampment was again cleared that week and residents relocated to 31st and 4th that day.

Police said over the weekend they responded to two incidents at the encampment. During the second incident, police were told that neighbors were attempting to clear the encampment.

Efforts by the neighbors seemed to be unsuccessful. One man in the encampment was arrested for threatening residents with a bow and arrow.