This week the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has begun expanding its work to remove encampments with documented crime, without temporary permits or in areas that cannot accommodate a temporary permit.
The MPRB served Notices to Vacate on Monday, August 10, to those living in approximately 12 tents at Peavey Park and 12 tents at Elliott Park and on Tuesday, August 11, to those in 14 tents at Kenwood. All three encampments have had significant crime and safety incidents, including assaults. Peavey and Kenwood encampments are also located within safe school zones, which is not allowed per a resolution unanimously adopted by Park Board Commissioners in mid-July. The Elliott Park and Kenwood Park encampments were cleared on Wednesday, August 12.
On Tuesday evening, August 11, there were 35 rounds fired from multiple guns at Peavey Park; no witnesses have come forward and no injuries were reported. On September 2, online and in-person classes resume at K-12 Hope Academy, located adjacent to Peavey Park.
While the notices do not have a deadline listed, these notices are not the same as the incremental approach being taken at Powderhorn Park and the MPRB has advised people to move immediately. The notices were followed by MPRB outreach informing people at each encampment the sites will be cleared this week. The MPRB has provided outreach and transportation options for occupants of these unauthorized encampments. The use of law enforcement is the last strategy. Once the encampments are cleared of people, a contractor hired by the MPRB will clean the sites, including removal of abandoned tents and search for and removal of needles and bio-hazard materials.
Park staff continue to work to implement the resolution directing them to reduce the number of parks with temporary encampments to no more than 20, limit the number of tents per encampment to 25, and require an encampment permit for each site.
The resolution also 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.
In the last three weeks, the MPRB has reduced the Powderhorn encampments from 560 tents to an estimated 35 tents and has served notice to those remaining that they cannot stay because of ongoing crime and the park is in a safe school zone. The MPRB has issued permits for temporary encampments at four parks and has evaluated many other parks with existing tents, designating 12 of those parks as capable of accommodating an encampment while permits are pursued.
“There are currently hundreds of unsheltered people in the park system, and the lack of shelter and housing options is having a devastating impact on those living in parks, the neighborhoods surrounding the parks, and our organization. Park staff are committing significant time and resources to implement the directives of our Board and follow the executive orders of the Governor related to COVID-19 and unsheltered people,” explained Superintendent Al Bangoura. “Our priorities are to address those sites with documented crimes, reduce the number of parks down to no more than 20, and get permits issued for temporary encampments that currently don’t have one. The priority for our state needs to be additional funding for our city and county partners so they can immediately increase available shelter and housing for those experiencing homelessness.”
Executive Order 20-55, which took effect on May 17, prevents local governments from closing encampments unless there is alternate housing, shelter or encampment space, or unless an encampment has reached a size or status that is a documented threat to public safety.
An update related to the MPRB’s encampment processes and efforts is available at www.minneapolisparks.org/encampments along with 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.