Minneapolis officials confirm evictions, clearings of 3 homeless encampments
MINNEAPOLIS – Crews evicted several people experiencing homelessness from three encampments Thursday morning in Minneapolis.
City officials confirmed that one of the camps was located at 205 Girard Avenue North in the Harrison neighborhood, located just north of the city's impound lot.
Officials say the encampment, which is near an affordable housing development "set to break ground next week," was creating safety and health issues, and had been "used as a storage area for stolen goods."
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"The City's homeless response team has made frequent visits to the site in the past two years to provide information about services and shelter options, but the majority of people living at the encampment have declined those resources as well as an opportunity to store their personal belongings through the Downtown Improvement District," officials said.
The locations of the other two encampments were not confirmed by officials.
Protesters showed up to a city planning meeting Thursday to express their concerns. They say there are not enough shelter beds for all the people wandering the streets after the city got rid of their tents.
"This is the coldest night since the summer," said Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality. "We're very worried about our neighbors and people freezing."
Less than three weeks ago, crews cleared out an encampment near the former Lake Street Kmart store off of East 28th Street and Nicollet Avenue following the fatal shooting of a resident.