Nenookaasi encampment residents file suit against Mpls. Mayor Frey over impending closure
UPDATE (Jan. 3, 2024): A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the city of Minneapolis can clear Camp Nenookaasi. Read more here.
MINNEAPOLIS — Residents of the Nenookaasi homeless encampment have filed a lawsuit against Minneapolis Major Jacob Frey days ahead of its scheduled closure.
The suit aims to prevent residents' forceful eviction from the area. The city of Minneapolis announced plans to shut down the encampment Thursday, Jan. 4 due to ongoing health and public safety concerns, and on Tuesday confirmed those plans would be moving forward.
"For months, the City has worked with community partners and service providers to connect community members at the encampment with housing and shelter options," representative Sarah McKenzie said. "The City has postponed the closure date two times already in order to allow dedicated time to work with service providers and get people directly connected to housing and shelter options."
To date, 104 people from the encampment have been connected to housing or shelter, McKenzie added.
An earlier planned closure of Dec. 19 was postponed in order to contact and partner with additional community partners to help with the transition.
The encampment was the site of a fatal shooting last month. The Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors expressed concern to city officials about the safety of encampments in general.
The lawsuit, filed on residents' behalf by Cheryl Sagataw and DeAnthony Barnes, claims Frey violated residents' constitutional rights, citing things such as unlawful search and seizure. The suit argues that evicting the residents, even though they have nowhere else to go, constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment." They also say there's no way for residents to contest eviction, therefore it's a violation of Minnesota housing protections.
An event is planned at the camp Thursday to protest the impending evictions.
WCCO has reached out to Frey's office for comment.
WCCO earlier reported that the city has worked with several community partners to prepare residents for this closure, including Helix Health and Housing Services. They said they would 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.
Addressing the deaths that have occurred in the encampment, camp organizers say there would be more violence if Nenookaasi didn't exist.
"The people here have worked really hard to build this community and to come together and create a modicum of safety for themselves," said Christin Crabtree, an organizer.
Crabtree hopes the camp's closure is stopped, but also says the status quo isn't a solution.
"We don't want this to continue to exist as is," she said. "We would love to create a healing center. We have identified a few different places that we think could be great brick-and-mortar locations so that we can actually keep the community together."
Asked about the encampment on Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan said, "I'm encouraged by how many people have found housing who have been in this places and spaces."
Crabtree says moving into housing isn't simple or straightforward though, and closing Nenookaasi would make it harder.
"We want a seat at the table so we can be doing these solutions collaboratively with our government," she said.
Hennepin Shelter Hotline, in partnership with the Adult Shelter Connect, is also extending its services to help people access additional beds, as well as beds that become available in existing shelters.
Once the encampment is closed, the city plans to start developing the area to build a new community center.
