Minneapolis leaders hold town hall meeting on homeless issues

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - City leaders and residents gathered in Minneapolis on Thursday for a town hall discussing what to do regarding the safety of unhoused neighbors and encampments.

In the past several weeks to months, there’s been a string of shootings at these camps. The discussion centered around how to better provide services for these communities.

"The encampments, and people being moved and shoved out of the encampments by police," said Ray Johnson, who came to the town hall out of curiosity.

Johnson is concerned when it comes to encampments for the unhoused. So he wanted to see what Ward 8 Council Member Andrea Jenkins had to say to combat what the unhoused is facing.

Jenkins has had a series of discussions, starting with think tanks. Resident Peter Zeftel felt it was important to listen to the discussion.

"We need to treat people like people. Evicting people, making them move from spot to spot, it doesn’t help anyone," said Zeftel.

Zeftel says when homeless people pack up and move to another encampment, it could be problematic to get resources.

"People lose contact with social service providers, they lose contact with caseworkers, they lose their ID," said Zeftel.

At the meeting, Jenkins had other council members talk about what ordinances they're working on to fix unhoused issues.

After recent shootings, Jenkins is looking at ideas like security for the camps and neighborhoods. 

She also took questions from those in attendance to get feedback on what do to. There is one thing she can’t wrap her head around. 

"For people who live in the encampments, I would imagine it's terrifying. Sometimes, what people say is they feel safer in these encampments than they do in shelters. But I don’t hear any people being shot in shelters, and a lot of people being shot in encampments," said Jenkins.

Jenkins is hoping people can come together to help resolve some of these issues. Drug problems at encampments were also discussed, in addition to addiction resources that are out there.