Minneapolis homeless advocates say additional resources is first step in decreasing fentanyl use
Two deadly weekend shootings at two homeless encampments in Minneapolis are again raising questions about how to safely shelter people in need.
At a Sunday press conference, Mayor Jacob Frey made comments referencing the shootings that killed three people and injured three others near homeless encampments.
“This is not about a lack of shelter. It’s not even, most of the time, about a lack of housing. The issues that we’re seeing in terms of crime and violence, it’s about fentanyl,” Frey said in a Sunday press conference.
Some Minneapolis organizations who work directly with the unhoused feel there’s more to it.
“I think the mayor is correct in identifying that fentanyl is, in fact, an issue that’s why we need the services that address chemical health issues that are evidence-based, practical, and compassionate, but that’s only one part of the problem,” John Tribbett, Avivo Village, said.
Tribbett works with the Avivo Village, which is an indoor tiny home shelter with wrap-around services, including education, recovery, and mental health.
He explained where the violence is happening is a part of the story.
“They’re parts of the city that have not necessarily been given the level of support and investment and care that other parts of the city have been given,” Tribbett said. “It’s not reduced to just homeless encampments.”
Advocates added people often prey on vulnerable populations in homeless encampments, which also contributes to violence.
“It could be drug dealers. It could be sex traffickers that aren’t living there and they’re not part of that community,” Jessica Mathias, Open Your Heart organization, said. “They’re using it as an opportunity to take advantage of the people living there. So I think until you know all the facts on who the shooters are, it’s really important to keep an open mind and be empathetic to the people living in the encampment.”
Organizations said the underlying issue is a lack of resources.
Hennepin County has open shelter beds, but advocates explained some of the conditions don’t work for everyone.
“They might have a partner with them or a loved one. They might have an animal, a pet, or a friend with them,” Mathias said.
Mathias works for Open Your Heart, an organization that helps the unhoused and food insecurity in Minnesota.
She said funding is a constant hurdle to reducing homelessness.
“The organizations that ‘Open your Heart’ support are seeing a decrease in funding year after year, and it’s really unfortunate,” Mathias said. “While the affordable housing is being built, people need their basic needs met. They need food, shelter, and safety. We have to invest in the organizations that are doing that work, that have boots on the ground and are in the encampments.”
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to Mayor Frey’s office for comment regarding Sunday’s comments.
The office spokesperson said in a statement:
“Encampments are a complex issue that demand action from every level of government. Our city is creating 8.5 times the amount of deeply affordable housing, we have added shelters, and we just unveiled our first Medical Mobile Unit which will deliver health services and addiction care directly to encampments.
We must also address the underlying issue at many of these encampments: fentanyl. A lot of the violence seen at the encampments has been tied to the sale and distribution of this drug.
The mayor has directed the police chief to work with our law enforcement partners to get this deadly drug off our streets and focus on arresting those responsible for distributing it.”
A map of encampments across Minneapolis can be found HERE.