July 31, 2020
MPRB update regarding encampment in parks
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has done a tremendous amount of work this year to provide temporary spaces for hundreds of unsheltered people. A lot has been accomplished since the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 2020-267 on July 15; however, much work remains to be done.
Resolution 202-267 provides guidelines for encampments in parks; limits the number of parks with encampments to 20 and the number of tents per encampment to 25; and requires an encampment permit for each site. Since mid-July, a permit and permit application were created, outreach has been underway, sites have been assessed, Powderhorn encampments have been reduced, and communications with partners, advocates and community members have been ongoing. Below are responses to some of the most frequently asked questions staff have received since July 15.
Encampment Permits
What is the status of Encampment Permits?
The MPRB received several permit applications last week and staff have been reviewing the applications and park sites to determine if the requested sites will meet the guidelines in the resolution approved by commissioners. As of July 30, one site at Lake Harriet has been approved and several others are underway. Getting sites permitted is a fluid situation while outreach continues, encampment permit applications are communicated and processed, and park spaces are defined. Unfortunately, the MPRB has recently learned of an external highly organized campaign to discourage encampment organizers from applying for a permit.
How is the MPRB sharing information about the permit process with unsheltered people temporarily living in the parks?
MPRB Community Outreach and StreetReach staff are reaching out to each encampment to discuss the permit, share copies of the permit application, and receive copies of completed print applications for those without access to email. Detailed procedures and regulations related to encampment permits are part of the application.
We have shared the permit application with key partners and permit applications can be requested at encampmentpermits@minneapolisparks.org or by calling 612-230-6400. Applications may be submitted by an individual volunteer, volunteers, non-profit corporation, legal entity, government or non-governmental partner or agency.
Who reviews, approves or denies encampment applications?
Encampment applications are reviewed by MPRB staff and sites are approved or rejected based on staff’s analysis of the park’s capacity to support an encampment and other guidelines outlined in the resolution, including if a park is within a safe school zone (as defined by Minnesota Statute 151.01, Subd 14a) and if there is 10 percent useable space within a park for an encampment, with reasonable access to recreational features of each park for visitors.
If approved, the MPRB will work to with the permit holder on location and design of the encampment site within a park. The MPRB will provide restrooms or portable toilets, hand washing stations (as vendor supplies allow), and trash/recycling containers to a permitted encampment within 48 hours of issuing a permit.
How is the MPRB sharing information about the approved permits with the community?
Approved parks will be listed on www.minneapolisparks.org/encampments and an email will be send to the neighborhood association and subscribers to nearby recreation centers listed on MPRB email service. Anyone may sign up to the recreation center list at www.minneapolisparks.org/subscribe.
Refuge Sites
How and when will the 20 park Refuge Sites be determined?
The 20 park locations are being determined based on applications received and approved. Based on initial feedback from encampment organizers in early July, it was determined that the MPRB would not pre-select the 20 park Refuge Sites but rather allow encampment organizers to determine which park(s) they would apply for.
It will take time to determine the 20 park Refuge Sites. Deconcentrating sites with tents down to 20 locations and getting sites permitted is a fluid situation.
Encampment Sites
How many parks have tents and encampments in them?
The number of parks with tents and number of tents in parks changes regularly. Here are details as of July 30:
- 418 Estimated number of tents in all parks
- 65 Estimated number of tents at Powderhorn Park
- 36 Number of parks (besides Powderhorn) with tents: 16 parks have 1 to 3 tents, 6 parks have 4 to
9 tents, 5 parks have 10 to 20 tents, 5 parks have 21 to 25 tents, and 4 parks have 26-32 tents
Transitioning and Vacating Encampments
What factors are considered when deciding to close or vacate an encampment?
Resolution 2020-267 provides direction for encampments, including reducing encampments to 20 parks with no more than 25 tents per encampment, requiring an encampment permit for each site, not having encampments in safe school zones, and not having encampments in a park with less than 10 percent useable space for the encampment, with reasonable access for recreational features of each park for visitors. These factors will be considered when determining if an encampment needs to be closed or vacated.
Resolution 2020-267 provides authority to the Superintendent to close encampments when there is a documented threat to people’s health and safety. This is separate from the encampment permit process.
What processes are used to vacate or transition the encampments at Powderhorn Park?
In the interest of the safety of encampment occupants and neighborhood residents, a 72-hour notice was used to vacate the Powderhorn Park east encampment July 17-20. The notices were delivered by Park Police on July 17. All but two or three of the encampment occupants left the site on July 20, when protestors arrived. After multiple warnings, the two or three encampment occupants and 17-18 protesters were arrested.
On July 31, Notices of Transition are being served by MADD Dads to those remaining encampments in Powderhorn Park, where safety concerns continue and its location with a safe school zone prohibits it from being one of the 20 park Refuge Sites. The Notice of Transition does not set a deadline for complete removal of the estimated 65 tents that remain in the park. The MPRB wants to encourage, through transition and the use of supportive partners, an incremental removal of the any encampments at Powderhorn Park, and only engage Park Police to support other’s work and/or when it has been demonstrated through repeated instances of engagement that other methods of vacating the encampments have failed.
What support is provided those at an encampment being vacated?
Information about relocation options and transportation assistance to another location.
MPRB Services at Encampments
What support is MPRB providing at encampments?
MPRB staff are providing a variety of increased park-related services at encampments throughout the city, including the following maintenance services
- Amenities: Portable restrooms, handwashing stations and trash containers
- Maintenance staffing: Increased staffing to support onsite management of site, pick up of trash and recycling, and cleaning of restrooms
Ongoing Efforts to Find Solutions
Who is the MPRB working with to find long-term solutions for those experiencing homelessness?
MPRB staff and commissioners acknowledge that serving people experiencing homelessness is not the role of the MPRB and that temporary park encampments do not address the bigger issues facing the growing population of homeless individuals and families.
The MPRB believes that park encampments are not a safe, proper or dignified form of housing and the MPRB will continue to work collaboratively and collectively with city, county and state agencies that serve those without housing, so that people living in park encampments have accommodations before cold weather arrives.
Stay Informed
What is the best way to stay informed about the MPRB’s responses and actions related to encampments?
Visit www.minneapolisparks.org/encampments for up to date tent numbers, permit details, approved permits, MPRB services and a timeline of actions, with links to news releases, Board actions, related MN Executive Orders and partner pages.