The plight of the homeless is front and center in Minneapolis. For the past couple months, an encampment on East Lake Street has been at the center of disputes, court hearings and potential lawsuits. When seven people were shot Sept. 15, 2025, the encampment was closed.
Hamoudi Sabri, a long-time business developer in Minneapolis, let individuals experiencing homelessness set up tents on a parking lot he owns at 28th and East Lake. The city raised concerns over the conditions of the encampment, but Sabri countered, saying that he feared there was no resolution being offered by the city.
According to Jess Olstad, a media relations spokesperson for city of Minneapolis, Sabri was served with two public health nuisance letters in July and August and was given deadlines to correct the problems listed. He also received citations for public health issues, such as the presence of drug paraphernalia, improper food storage, lack of access to water and accumulated solid waste. These citations resulted in fines of $13,060 and $6o in late fees. Olstad said the problems were not corrected…