Minneapolis closes homeless encampment in Phillips neighborhood
MINNEAPOLIS — The City of Minneapolis closed a homeless encampment in the Phillips neighborhood on Wednesday morning.
The encampment was at 2305 Fifth Avenue South. Roughly 45 people were living at the site, and officials say they were given six days to gather their belongings and leave. They were also provided with information on shelter services, the city said.
"All our unsheltered residents deserve safe and dignified housing. An encampment — especially in cold weather — provides neither safety nor meets the minimum housing standard we are charged with upholding," the city said in a statement. "Additionally, the City must address the ongoing public health and safety issues, such as a recent shooting outside the encampment and ongoing trauma activities at the encampment inflict upon neighbors immediately surrounding the encampment."
On March 7, a young man was shot on the same block as the encampment that was cleared on Wednesday. Investigators said a male suspect fired shots and left the area in a vehicle. The victim had potentially life-threatening gunshot wounds and was taken to the hospital.
In late February, a fire destroyed the migrating Camp Nenookaasi at its 28th Street and 12th Avenue location. It completely leveled the site, leaving about 50 residents without a place to stay. An investigation could not determine the source of the fire, due to "dozens of illegal open fires" at the site, the fire department said, but an arson investigation will remain open because the cause could not be determined.
The city has been evicting Camp Nenookaasi residents from south Minneapolis locations since the beginning of the year — at one point clearing them three times in the span of four weeks. Residents and supporters of the camp criticized the city for closing the encampments without a plan.
Note: The above video is from March 7, 2024