Drove by last night at the camp has more than doubled in size. Can land owners simply allow this or is this breaking any zoning laws?
Need to get this cleared out. Its unsightly and an embarrassment to the neighborhood.

I looked into it and it definitely violates zoning laws.

This MUST be shut down! The businesses across the street are trying to make a go of it. This is unacceptable. Does anyone know who the owner is? If so, please provide his name and contact information.

Based on my research into this issue I’m fairly certain the lot is owned by an auto parts company. I forget the name right now, but will try to share it here later.

You are correct. I emailed the owner. He is retired but as a business owner he should understand how detrimental this is to the business owners. I also called the first precinct. They told me to call back on Monday when they aren't so short staffed. If many people call the precinct they will be forced to do something and remove them all. It is growing by the day.

I just sent an email to MPD

I sent an email and stopped at their office. They told me "it is not a police issue per the city council and mayor". What the heck are we supposed to do??????

I reached out the first precinct today, but don't expect I'll receive a response to my email. Are there any other suggestions on what we can do to get this shut down?

I might suggest contacting Steve Fletcher (city councilmember representing downtown neighborhood) and/or Downtown neighborhood assn

Can you share with us Steve Fletchers contact information? If we all reach out to him maybe he will at least be compelled to respond with his thought on the matter. Thank you!

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/businesses-sue-city-of-minneapolis-hennepin-county-over-homeless-encampment-technology-drive-homelessness-triangle-warehouse-benchmark-logistics-cue/89-0364bd4a-54c7-46c6-b5a9-c56cb216ac05

Maybe it’s time to take legal action. Any lawyers out there?

Legal action is a must, I am a criminal defense lawyer, I know nothing about this type of law. They are having a forum to discuss on Tuesday. We all need to make sure to attend.

Someone should contact that law firm and see if they want to take this case. They can add the property owner as a defendant.

I received the following response from Mark Klukow, 1st Precinct MPD Lieutenant, after I reached out asking if the MPD was aware of the situation:

"The MPD is aware of the encampment at this location and have alerted the Municipal Minneapolis Health Department to consider placing this location among their priorities. The Deputy Director of the Minneapolis Department of Health is Noya Woodrich, who I’ve placed in copy to catalog your concern and our recommendation. The MPD will continue responding to reported crime and recording same while the other city departments that have missions to solve these problems work on the solutions. Thanks for taking the time to raise your concerns and please use 911 to report crime in progress as it appears."

We could try reaching out to Noya Woodrich - noya.woodrich@minneapolismn.gov

I just emailed. We must continue emailing and complaining!!!

The law firm representing the Plaintiffs in the other encampment case are Moss and Barnett in Minneapolis.

Here’s the response I received from Noya Woodrich, Deputy Director of the Minneapolis Department of Health. I reached out after Mark Klukow informed me that her department was responsible for these matters. I’m interested if others have heard the same.

“Good evening! Sorry for the delayed response. I was off Monday and Tuesday morning. Jeff, did you happen to attend the community meetings either Tuesday or Wednesday?

The City is making every attempt to work with the property owner to close this particular encampment. Our “soft” closure date is November 30th. We will be working between now and then to help the folks in the encampment to find other arrangements: shelter, housing, return to existing housing.

Noya”

I attended both meetings and got into an argument with the owner. After the meeting I approached him and we became fast friends. We attended the Wednesday meeting together. He is a wonderful man. He will move the encampment himself and assured me it will be done very soon.

I emailed Noya Woodrich several weeks ago and got no response back. I guess we have to wait and see if anything happens after the Nov 30th date that was mentioned as the soft closer date. Whatever that means.
Meanwhile crime in the neighborhood is up substantially. I live close to this site and car break ins have increased noticeably! I feel it will continue to get worse as the weather gets colder and people become more desperate.
Anyone have any updates to share?
Thanks

I agree and feel helpless. I am friends with the owner and he says he will move it to Lake Street as soon as he gets authorization to use the parking lot for customers behind his lot. I don't know why that can't get accomplished immediately?!?! VERY FRUSTRATED. We need to put pressure on Jeremiah Ellison.

Any updates ?

I just sent an email to Ellison and Frey… hope to get some response

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I followed-up with Noya Woodrich (Deputy Director of the Minneapolis Department of Health) and Mark Klukow (1st Precinct MPD Lieutenant) five days ago. As mentioned in one of my earlier messages, the police Lt. stated this is not a police matter and it was passed to the Department of Health. Noya hasn't responded to my email follow-up, but I will try calling her later this week to understand exactly what she meant by 'soft closure' and also to understand if her department can provide our community any update on the progress the city has made on finding other arrangements for the unsheltered residents. Any update from the property owner?

Thank you Jeff. I can provide you with the owner's phone number if you would like to discuss with him. Let me know.

So now it appears that someone spray painted graffiti on the entire eastern facing wall of the the Glassart Design building. It is large enough to be seen from the high rise building I work at in downtown! This area is becoming a bigger embarrassment to the North Loop neighborhood every week.
Whatever happened to the Nov 30 date to shut this down?
It doesn’t appear anyone at any level of government is willing to take this on.
I truly believe the only way anything is going to get done is if lawsuit’s are filed.
I believe the owners of the Glassart building would have a decent case.

According to the Minneapolis Director of Public Health they’re working on it. Noya responded on the 8th with the following. Meant to share earlier but it’s clear addressing this problem isn’t a priority for Minneapolis city leadership.

“ Sorry Jeff for responding so belatedly. I was diverted for about a week to get a couple other projects done. As you know the closure did not happen. The challenge is mostly due to our inability to get on the same page as the property owner. Please trust that there are many of us here at the City working towards a closure of this encampment. We know that this not only is idea for those in the encampment but is creating a dangerous environment for those around the encampment.

Noya”

I agree, a lawsuit needs to be brought. I think it can be a class action suit by NL owners and businesses.

Has the city completely ignored this issue? There is no urgency to address this and find a solution. Do the property owner/government decision makers think that they’re being humane by allowing people to live outside in -15 degree temps? What happened to a soft closure date of 11/30?

Just this week there was a man standing in the street verbally assaulting anyone that walked by. These people need help, not ignored.

Ostensibly it will be closed on 1/18. City put up eviction notices

The date to have this encampment closed down as come and gone. I will be driving by that area shortly. I’ll try to get an update. Even if the city is successful in shutting this down there will be a rather large clean up needed. At last check there were piles of trash several feet height and graffiti coving an entire wall of the adjacent building.

I reached out to the city and they will close it without notice. They tried the other day and there were citizens stopping it and someone threatened to blow it up with propane. It is completely out of control. I drove by as well and it looks like a war zone and garbage, graffiti etc.It needs to happen SOOOOON

Still no movement on getting this encampment shut down. I would like to know who is “citizens” are who are trying to keep this place from being closed. They clearly do not live or work in the area.
Crime has been up significantly and home values have drop since the camp popped up.
City leaders are to afraid to take any action as it would make them look to hard on homeless. Very pathetic. May have to look at moving to the suburbs 😢

I spoke ro Michael Rainville a few days ago-they tried moving it, but the "crazy" activists interfered. Now the City is going to move them but not give notice.

Each “activist” should take one homeless person home with them. Problem solved😄

I said the exact same thing-they can have them. Rainville said they remove a half ton of garbage and there's still more.

I had an email exchange with what I assume is one of Rainville's assistants last month (Henry C Jarvinen). The points Henry made align with the points Judy made. A few additional comments Rainville's assistant made:

- The encampment is technically in ward 5, so I should've contacted council member Jeremiah Ellison (Ellison was one of the "activists" protesting the closure, I don't think we'll make progress with him)

- He also stated that due to safety concerns for their staff, there is no current closure date, but the city is "actively strategizing how to safely complete closure" (whatever that means)

Henry made these points in emails sent on January 28th. I have zero confidence Minneapolis leadership will do anything about the encampment. I'm open to any suggestions on what we can do to clean up our neighborhood.

I forgot to mention one important thing, the city is taking legal action against the owner of the property.

Can we put a petition together?

Does anyone have an update on shutting this encampment down? I heard there a couple of dangerous people who are assaulting the women.

Well it appears today is finally the day! I live in this neighborhood and on my way to work there were police on every corner as maintenance crews removed the people, tents and trash from the lot that has been inhabited for almost a year by homeless.
Hopefully it is a success!

Yes, they have been successfully removed and housed. However, I just saw a group of homeless people gathering on the corner of N. 10th avenue and by 5th street. Cars are stopping offering things so I called 911. It needs to be stopped before it grows. I suggest others call 911 so they know we are serious.

So after almost 6 months since I created this thread it appears the encampment has finally been closed. No thanks to the owner of the property and the protesters that for whatever reason wanted these people living in these conditions I guess?
The only thing left now is to clean up the mess. The entire wall that was graffitied will need to be painted and as the snow melts I’m sure there will be piles of garbage and who knows what else to be cleared up. This should all be billed back to the property owner that allowed and encouraged this to happen.
Thank you to all that supported the efforts to have this encampment closed.
The takeaway would be that the next time something like this appears in our neighborhood we need to work together to get it shut down immediately before it takes root.

So glad those human beings could be properly housed. Their humanity is more important than NIMBY pearl-clutching

Does anyone know when this are will be cleaned up or who is responsible to clean it up?

Please close this case. Lot is cleaned up for the most part. Thank you