Camp Nenookaasi’s residents are now being removed from a third Minneapolis location as city leaders weigh in on solutions to help those who are homeless.
Police are working to remove residents after repeated calls to 911 about numerous issues happening at the homeless encampment.
“In the last 48 hours, we’ve had seven 911 calls for that area,” Minneapolis Public Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette said during a press conference on Thursday.
Barnette says there have been reports of damaged property, violence, and fires but that arresting residents isn’t part of the current strategy.
“You’re not going to arrest your way out of homelessness. That’s not going to happen. So we just have to be innovative, think of ways we can do things better, and it’s evolving to try and get there,” he said.
The original encampment had about 160 residents, but Barnette says the overnight population now sits closer to 25.
Barnette also noted that shelter beds are open for people who need them on any given night and urges those continuing to relocate to consider these options.