New homeless encampment crops up on empty lot in south Minneapolis
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This week a new homeless encampment went up in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis.
While some say they want the encampment shut down, others say it’s the only place for some people to live.
Sharon Kopitski went to the homeless encampment on Thursday to help someone for whom she used to be a foster parent.
"Finding places that people can afford is the biggest problem," she said.
Linda Julik was at the new encampment to drop off food for the people living there.
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"They need to eat too, they’re hungry, they need to eat," she said.
DeAnthony Barnes lives in the encampment and said he appreciates Julik’s efforts.
"It means the world to me, because without people like her, what would we be doing?" he said.
A Minneapolis spokesperson said the city is aware of the new encampment and it’s "concerned about all encampments because they pose health and safety risks for both the people in the encampment and the surrounding neighborhood".
"We have seen an increase in encampments since the start of the pandemic as a result of the Governor’s executive order preventing local government agencies from disbanding or preventing them from forming," the city added.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS saw city and state health staff at the encampment connecting people with outreach services and cleaning up.
Debra Hedemark lives nearby and said she wants the encampment shut down.
"A mess, garbage everywhere … I’ve seen needles everywhere and there’s a school right around the corner. … I see kids walking down that avenue every day, and they don’t need to see this kind of lifestyle," Hedemark said.
The city says it has spent $13.4 million since March 2020 to invest in Minneapolis shelters and expand street outreach services. The investments have added 200 more shelter beds; another 36-bed facility is under construction.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS tried to contact the property owner. This encampment is located on private property in the Seward neighborhood. The city said it will work with the property owner to determine how to address the encampment.