City leaders to discuss new plan to handle Minneapolis encampments
Minneapolis city leaders are set to give an update on Tuesday afternoon about the services being provided to those who were cleared out of a homeless encampment in south Minneapolis.
The update comes after the Camp Nenookaasi encampment was cleared for the third time in just over a month last Thursday.
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City councilmembers have proposed several ordinances regarding homelessness, like Council member Jason Chavez’s proposed ordinance to allow around-the-clock temporary spaces, similar to what’s been done in Denver.
“A nonprofit, for example, could apply to have a location sanctioned. A church, for example, if they want to have it in their parking lot, could apply,” Chavez said. “So this is a policy that has broad support from people with many differing opinions, and I believe this, at a minimum, is something that can unite our residents.”
Meanwhile, City Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai said she would like to see the city code changed to require the city to give a minimum notice ahead of time before an eviction like Camp Nenookaasi could happen in the future.
“It will be very specific in the amount of time, and that’s both for the benefit of residents who are living in that space to tell them, ‘OK, you need to start a plan of where you’re going to go next,’ and it’s for the benefit of our service providers,” Chughtai said.
That proposal and more will be presented this week to the City Council and then be assigned to committees for further consideration and public comments in the coming weeks.
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The Minneapolis City Council will give an update during the 1:30 p.m. Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday.