Minneapolis To Restrict Homeless Encampments Across City

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Wednesday voted to restrict the growing number of homeless encampments in parks across the city. As of July 9, officials say encampments have been established at 38 parks.

Powderhorn Park has two large encampments where there are 560 tents and 282 people living there, according to an estimate from the board.

The resolution passed Wednesday limits the number of parks with encampments to 20 and the number of tents per encampment to 25.

The resolution also establishes a new temporary encampment permit that can be issued to volunteers or groups who agree to be responsible for the day-to-day oversight of an encampment.

Once the permit is issued, the park board would provide restrooms, hand washing stations, and trash and recycling containers to that camp.

In June, the Minneapolis Park Board passed a resolution allowing people with no permanent housing to stay in the city's parks. The resolution works in conjunction with Gov. Tim Walz's executive order that — with some exceptions — prevents the removal of homeless people from public sites amid the economic crisis caused by the spread of coronavirus.

Since then, Minneapolis has seen a significant influx of people living in the parks. As the encampments grew, so did reports of criminal activity.

Three sexual assaults are among the recent crimes reported at the Powderhorn Park encampment. The sexual assaults at Powderhorn Park took place on June 26, June 28, and July 5, the Park Board told Patch.

"COVID-19 has created a health, economic, unemployment and homeless crisis in Minneapolis and across the nation," Al Bangoura, Parks Superintendent, said of the resolution before it was passed on Wednesday.

"We know that sheltering homeless people temporarily in Minneapolis parks is not a safe, proper or dignified form of housing. We will continue to work with city, county and state agencies on solutions, so that those in park encampments have accommodations before cold weather arrives.