Plans underway for emergency homeless shelter in the heart of Uptown Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — Plans are in the works for a 24-bed emergency shelter at West Lake Street and Colfax Avenue in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis.
According to a Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development report, Lakeshore Care Facility will offer temporary, supportive care for men and women.
"To be kept out of the loop on everything and have this kind of shoved down our throats, it's not great," said Uptown resident John Higgins.
Higgins lives at Buzza Lofts and Apartments, which would be right next door to the shelter. It's an area Higgins said already struggles with overdoses.
"I've Narcaned dozens of people, I've called the police for overdoses on a regular basis, our trash room already has people living in it on a regular basis," said Higgins.
Several business owners spoke out against the development at Monday's city planning commission meeting, bringing up concerns about a shelter in a retail corridor, along with issues with a perception that the area is not safe.
The documents said the shelter "...will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, comfort or general welfare."
"It doesn't make a lot of sense to put an emergency shelter in the middle of a retail space. It's not like we would do that in the Mall of America," said Higgins.
Higgins said this facility is better served, for instance, closer to some of the encampments, where there's more need.
"I would love to see a facility like this to help the unhoused population in our community. It's a vital resource that we need," said Higgins. "But to bring that to this retail location doesn't seem to make a lot of sense."
The city documents said the shelter is consistent with the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
Neighbors and business owners will be able to give public testimony at the Planning Commission Hearing on Aug. 12.