President Cowgill and Commissioners

Park staff continue to work to implement Resolution 2020-267, which was unanimously approved by the Board in mid-July. As of today, there are 256 tents at 15 park sites, down from 347 tents at 22 park sites at the last Board meeting on September 16.

Routine maintenance support and service of portable restrooms and hygiene stations continues, and regular outreach and engagement at each permitted site remains a priority.

We know that sheltering homeless people in Minneapolis parks is not a safe, proper or dignified form of housing and is, at best, a temporary solution for encampment individuals before cold weather arrives. Outreach these last few months has been critical. Park outreach staff have engaged permit holders and those living in permitted sites on a variety of topics, services and permit processes, including cold weather processes.

We have learned, through this outreach, that most permit holders and encampment residents have self-selected dates for leaving the parks before the end of October. The Brackett encampment permit holder successfully moved those living in the park to shelters or other services on October 1. We have also learned of other community plans for assisting in those in park encampments. There is a community effort to purchase a building to provide shelter for those at the Harriet encampment and there was recently a neighborhood-led shelter and housing resource event at the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr encampment.

Despite these efforts, the two questions we continue to receive from the community are “Is there a deadline for people and encampments to be out of the parks?” and “What is our strategy for encampments as weather turns colder?”

To the question, “Is there a deadline for people and encampments to be out of the parks?”

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has not set a specific deadline. We have, since mid-July, consistently acknowledged that temporary encampments in parks will not continue into cold weather. We have also openly acknowledged that at some point, overnight temperatures drop to the point of posing health and safety risks, including hypothermia, and that based on weather forecasts and historic weather patterns we believe that will occur sometime in October. In addition, our ordinances prohibit open fires or the use of propane as a fuel for a fire in parks. Allowing the use of fuels for fire or to create warmth poses great risk for encamped persons and for park assets. Our outreach staff have been communicating this information to permit holders and individuals living in park encampments.

To the question, “What is the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s strategy for encampments as the weather turns colder?”

Park outreach staff are in regular conversations with those in park encampments to make sure they know what our processes are and to discuss their cold weather plans. Those living in our parks know we will not be issuing permits once the weather turns cold. As encampment permits expire and weather turns cold or conditions become otherwise unsafe, we will not extend permits. If needed, we will issue vacate notices although we hope that is not needed. At this time, almost all encampment permit holders and the communities that are supporting them have already made their own decisions and plans to move to out of the parks by mid to late-October.

We also continue to work with our city, county, state and local non-profit partners and volunteers who serve the homeless community. They are working hard to find solutions and places for unsheltered people in the city, including the parks. Last week, Hennepin County approved acquisition of two properties and we are aware that volunteer groups are stepping forward to purchase and/or fund winter services and places in the community. Last week the Lieutenant Governor also shared that she and the Governor continue working to provide relief and assistance to keep people safe through this upcoming winter, including Minnesotans experiencing homelessness. As of last week, there remained 22 million in state grant funding available for qualified providers supporting people experiencing homelessness directly.

Superintendent Bangoura