Minneapolis council’s costly encampment response plan passes, likely to be vetoed

A controversial plan addressing homeless encampments, while getting enough votes for approval, may never see the light of day.

The Humane Encampment Response ordinance does and calls for many things, creating a heavy lift for the city of Minneapolis and needs a lot of public dollars — including providing portable bathrooms, hand washing station, needle disposal supplies, and more.

It also sets up a seven-day pre-closure notice and provides free storage, which city staff says alone would cost millions. The ordinance also includes ensuring people have access to services and shelter. 

RELATED: Minneapolis City Council passes housing crisis policies as mayor expedites encampment closures 

“We seek to address the public health and safety concerns,” Aisha Chughtai, one of the three council members, said during Thursday’s city council meeting. “It also ensures that unsheltered individuals are given the basic dignity of time to make plans before a closure.”

Her colleague, Linea Palmisano, was first to express opposition. 

“I don’t know how we could suggest that we keep people in a situation where addiction, violence, trafficking — drug and sex trafficking and child trafficking — how that can be a humane response to encampments,” Palmisano said. 

At the posting of this article, we did not receive a statement from council member Aurin Chughtai, who said she’s supplying one — we asked how she responds to those who feel the ordinance encourages encampments to form and why it does not include steps to address crime that unfolds in encampments.

The one who needs to sign off on the ordinance, Mayor Jacob Frey, is clear on his stance. 

“I intend to veto it,” Frey told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, which will be effective as there was not enough support from council members to override it. 

“I don’t know how anybody could argue with a straight face that that is safe, and that’s the right way to do this,” Frey said, adding, “I don’t want to turn back that progress on an ordinance that would essentially make homeless encampments much easier to start open and then much harder to close.”