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Dear neighbor,
As we head further into the cold winter months, I wanted to send you an update on the state of unsheltered homelessness. This includes recent incidents that are impacting residents in Ward 9, which have highlighted the desperate need to address unsheltered homelessness. This is devastating, and it has a real impact on our community.
According to the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, between 2023 and 2024, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 18% in the United States. In Minnesota, that number rose by around 10%.
Throughout my time in office, I’ve talked with many of you about the lack of shelter capacity and low-barrier shelter availability for our neighbors. Despite City officials claiming shelter space is available, there are reports proving that is not the case. The lack of resources and current approach only exacerbates the problem. A recent Star Tribune article found that with homeless shelters fully booked, Hennepin County has stopped tracking how many people it turns away.
- There are more than 800 emergency shelter beds available for single adults throughout the county, but when homeless people call the hotline, they’re often greeted with “all beds are full.”
- The Star Tribune called Adult Shelter Connect at noon nearly every weekday in October and November. Most days, there were zero beds available for men and between one and ten for women.
- The Star Tribune asked for information through an official data request, which eventually revealed more than 7,000 instances of people being turned away from the shelter system in 2022, whether they called during the day or night.
- As temperatures started to dip this fall, homeless adults seeking refuge in one of Hennepin County’s emergency shelters had to call the intake hotline as soon as it opened each day at 10 a.m. to have a chance at claiming a spot.
These reports only call to question why the City continues its inhumane approach to homelessness. Unfortunately, on December 10, 2024, there was a fire at an encampment on the 2400 block of 15th Ave. S. that displaced unhoused residents and at least eight renters who lived next to the encampment. On January 6, 2025, there were fires at two encampments, one located at Lake and Columbus and another on 29th St. and 14th Ave. S. This led to the displacement of over 230 residents who were unhoused and left many residents in the area feeling unsafe because of the fires.
I’m thankful to all the residents, organizers, and providers that stepped up and assisted our unhoused neighbors and those who lived next to these encampments. They helped to open many emergency and temporary warming centers and found places for some residents to sleep. Still, though, many unhoused residents were sent into the cold to find other places to sleep.
I’ve made a formal request to the mayor’s administration for the City to investigate these fires as well as review response practices to these emergencies so that all residents, regardless of income, zip code, or identity, receive the responsive care everyone deserves.
I believe that the City’s current approach is ineffective and is failing. Last year, I authored a variety of Legislative Directives that passed. These are set to come before the City Council via presentations in February 2025. The goal of passing these through the City Council was to prepare us to take action early this year.
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Navigation Center Update Legislative Directive: In February, we are going to receive a comprehensive overview of how the former Navigation Center was established, the cost to establish the center and run it, known outcomes, and a list of City-owned possible locations to establish to address unsheltered homelessness. This could help us establish navigation hubs in our city.
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Housing First and Homelessness Prevention Strategies Staff Direction: In February, we are going to receive an overview of national evidence and analysis around housing first as a flexible and adaptable service model to address homelessness, which starts with housing and includes trauma-informed supportive services. Housing that is paired with supportive services is effective and can address the issue at hand.
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Overdose Prevention Strategies Staff Direction: In January/February, we are going to receive a report on other cites’ drug overdose prevention strategies, which include expanding access to fentanyl test strips and naloxone and establishing overdose response teams. We must address the opioid epidemic as we address homelessness.
We will hear about these reports in committee, and my plan is to develop action steps to address this issue. In the meantime, there are additional pressing issues that need to be met and I am committed to working on:
- The Minneapolis City Council invested in housing first solutions in the 2025 Budget. I expect the mayor’s administration to move these through the City Council as soon as possible to improve conditions for our residents.
- There have been many fires around encampments. As a result, many residents are displaced and are left without a place to sleep. I am committed to working with City staff on improving the “City’s Emergency Preparedness Plan” to include emergencies around homelessness. I've seen community organizers step up, and I believe this is a role the City and other government agencies should be leading on.
- I am committed to using the City’s budgetary tools to address the emergency at hand, while at the same time understanding that this work must be done in partnership with Hennepin County, the state, and the federal government.
- I am committed to exploring how we can make our Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance stronger for residents impacted by fires.
- I will be hosting community office hours to discuss unsheltered homelessness on January 17, 2025 (more information below).
Sincerely,
Jason Chavez |
