Homeless encampment removal reports considered by Minneapolis leaders

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis leaders are set to approve increased reporting requirements for homeless encampment evictions that aim to increase public insight on when and why people are evicted.

What we know

On Sept. 11, the Minneapolis City Council Public Health & Safety Committee approved an ordinance that would amend city code related to housing.

In recent years, residents throughout the city have grappled with the effects of homeless encampments that have sometimes been plagued by violent crime.

Currently, Minneapolis code says no camp, car, house trailer, automobile, tent or temporary structure can be on any public street or premises to be used as a shelter for living. However, the director of regulatory services may issue a permit to allow for temporary housing when a specified emergency creates the need to allow it.

Required reports

A new ordinance proposed by council members Aurin Chowdhury, Jason Chavez, and Aisha Chughtai would increase the reporting requirement for authorities when an encampment is cleared.

On a quarterly basis, Minneapolis’ homeless response team would be required to submit a report on removals conducted during the prior reporting period to the city council and Mayor Jacob Frey. The information would also be published on the department’s website as a means of providing a cost breakdown of city services, and costs associated with encampment removals.

The report would include a table referencing each removal, with information that includes the ward in which the removal occurred, the source initiating the removal, how many people were affected, how many were offered housing vouchers and applications at the time of removal, and how many were offered permanent, temporary or supportive housing during an eviction.

The report would also show how many people entered transitional housing on the date of the removal, and how many were arrested during the eviction process.

According to council members, the principles of the ordinance are to increase transparency, accountability and oversight that, "support informed decision-making and lead to positive actions for systemic change."

In an effort to increase transparency regarding law enforcement procedure, a second report would also be produced to detail the status of police investigations related to removals, including the response and action taken by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), whether MPD followed up on reported incidents, and the current status of each investigation, including any resolutions or ongoing investigations.

No report would contain personal information of either encampment residents or those reporting them, in accordance with state and federal laws.

"Good governance requires good data. In order for us to address homelessness, we need a systemic fix," said council member Chowdhury on Wednesday. "There’s no silver bullet to address this. In order for systemic positive change, this is information that we need."

Work on the ordinance began in January 2024, and it’s based on a similar law passed in New York City, council members say.

It will still need approval from the full city council before being enacted.

Community concerns

More than an hour of public testimony followed a presentation on the ordinance itself – ranging from criticism of slow encampment removal response to the city’s resources available for additional housing for those affected.

"We need reporting on the real cost, and what the real outcomes are for some of these evictions, so we can decide collectively as a community if this is how we want to be spending our money," one testifier said.

Others described open-air drug usage and sexual activity around their own children and schools while lamenting a lack of response from city officials that allows it to occur.

"We have experienced for the last four years a lack of response to our calls. We are seeing over and over again money being wasted on clear-outs that return," one testifier said.

Council member contention

Council member Linea Palmisano expressed concern about the ordinance, saying that Minneapolis was not a direct provider of services under the purview of Hennepin County. As a result, it could not require such a report from its partners.

"We are not a direct service provider. Our primary approach is to connect people with the county," Palmisano said.

"This is information we should already be collecting when we’re entering into contracts with these providers," rebutted council member Robin Wonsley.