St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her has announced plans to close three homeless encampments, with Pig’s Eye Park scheduled to be the first site addressed in August.
The announcement describes a planned change in the city’s response to encampments. It does not mean the sites have already been cleared, and an exact closure date has not been established.
A coordinated transition plan
In a July 8 announcement, the City of Saint Paul said it was working with Ramsey County and community partners on a service-focused, coordinated transition plan for people living at encampments.
The city cited unsafe and unhealthy conditions at the sites as part of its rationale for the coordinated response. The available information does not establish final placement capacity or confirm that every resident will receive permanent housing.
Housing-placement demand remains high
More than 1,400 single adults are on a Ramsey County housing-placement waitlist, according to the cited report. That figure underscores the demand facing the broader housing-placement system as the city prepares to address the three sites.
Pig’s Eye Park is the first encampment identified for action under the announced plan. The city’s transition effort involves services and coordination, but shelter or service placement is not the same as permanent housing.
Sources
- St. Paul backs away from tolerance of homeless encampments, Axios Twin Cities
- City of Saint Paul Announces Service-Focused Coordinated Transition Plan for Encampments, City of Saint Paul