Homeless encampment, Camp Nenookaasi, set to close by city officials on Jan. 4
MINNEAPOLIS — The city of Minneapolis announced Friday that it plans to move forward with it's plans to close Camp Nenookaasi, a homeless encampment, on Jan. 4 due to ongoing health and public safety concerns.
Plans to close Camp Nenookaasi were originally planed for Dec. 19, however the city pushed this deadline back in order to contact and partner with additional community partners to help with the transition.
The city cites a number of reasons for the closure, including a fatal shooting that happened at Nenookaasi earlier this month. The Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors has also expressed their concern to city officials about the safety of encampments.
In a press release, the city said, "All of our community members deserve safe and dignified housing. Encampments, especially in winter, do not provide that."
The city has worked with several community partners to prepare residents for this closure. This includes Helix Health and Housing Services. In conjunction with Hennepin County, the group has already connected 104 Nenookaasi encampment residents with housing or shelter options. Additionally, another 14 people are scheduled to move into housing soon.
Helix Health and Housing Services will also provide culturally sensitive housing, mental health services, and substance use treatment, to support community members at the encampment.
Street outreach teams, like Hennepin County's Streets to Housing team, are continuing to work with individuals who have already expressed interest in moving into shelter or permanent housing. According to the city's press release, to date, these street teams have documented 31 exits from the encampment by people they engaged there into emergency shelter, housing, or another safe, appropriate alternative to sleeping in a place unmeant for human habitation.
Also, with help from Hennepin County, the State of Minnesota, Salvation Army and Rescue Now 90 beds will be added to the shelter system starting on Jan. 1 and 2.
Hennepin Shelter Hotline, in partnership with the Adult Shelter Connect, will also be extending their services in order to help people access these additional beds as well as beds that become available in existing shelters, said a press release.
Once the encampment is closed, the city plans to start developing the area in order to build a new community center.
The Indigenous Peoples Task Force has a redevelopment agreement with the City for the site to construct the Mikwanedun Audisookon Art and Wellness Center.
When finalized, the project will include an IPTF office and clinic space, commercial kitchen, community garden, small theater, art workshop and gallery, and space to support neighborhood partnerships and entrepreneurship and employment training, said a press release.