Minneapolis City Council members on Tuesday pushed forward on a policy that would allow unsheltered residents to sleep overnight in their cars at designated and supervised parking lots. If approved by the full city council next week, the ordinance would take effect in January.
Under the proposal, people would be allowed to park overnight only and would have to adhere to a quiet hours curfew. Staff would be on-site at all times. The lot operator would need to provide bathrooms and trash services and submit a safety plan for police to review.
“This allows us to use existing infrastructure to honestly have a low-cost model to get people wraparound services in a space that’s managed, in a space that’s clean, in a space that can create community and feel safe,” said City Council member Aurin Chowdhury. “Sleeping in your car, it’s not an easy thing.”…