St. Paul homeless encampment being cleared by city officials Thursday
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A homeless encampment just east of downtown St. Paul along East 7th Street near Payne Avenue is one of the largest city officials have seen, and has led to numerous complaints.
City officials clearing encampment
By the numbers:
St. Paul city officials say police have been called to the encampment more than 400 times for everything from drug use to assaults, while the fire department has responded to 50 calls for EMS and fires.
A health and safety assessment conducted back in October found hypodermic needles on the ground, burn pits dangerously close to tents, as well as other public health and safety concerns.
Photos taken by a FOX 9 crew at the encampment show the conditions people have been living in.
What they're saying:
The St. Paul fire marshal says that makeshift heaters used to warm highly flammable tents are a dangerous combination.
"Our goal is to make sure that folks are safe," said Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Smith. "And quite honestly, when you couple the health and fire safety hazards that were within the encampment, dangerously low temperatures, it's not safe for folks to be staying outside at this time."
Deputy Fire Chief also added "Our goal isn't to criminalize those experiencing homelessness. Our goal is to provide a safe place, especially during our harsh Minnesota winters, for folks to get resources, to meet them wherever they are, to break the cycle of homelessness."
A man who volunteers to help the unhoused population in St. Paul, Chuck Sweeney, was at the site on Thursday morning.
Sweeney said he understands all too well some of the complicated reasons why people find themselves in situations where they experience homelessness.
"It's a little different than just wanting the help," Sweeney said. "There's a lot of trauma that's going on with these individuals."
Sweeney also added, "Once they shut an encampment down, word spreads much [about] where to go.... On the street they're very smart, they know where to go and how to go about doing it."
What's next:
Notices were posted earlier this week telling those living at the encampment that they have until 3 p.m. Thursday to remove their belongings and clear the site.
Volunteers and outreach workers from the city were seen working one-on-one with people to do so on Thursday morning.
City officials say they do not plan to clear the encampment with bulldozers.
The St. Paul Homeless Assistance Response Team has been on site every day this week in an effort to connect those living outside with resources, including a warm and safe place to stay.