Homelessness

Homeless panhander on Maryland Avenue near I-35E in St. Paul.

 

“Hennepin County: Characteristics and Trends Of Those Experiencing Homelessness in Minnesota.” Read the Fact Sheet.

Source: 2018 Minnesota Homeless Study, Fact Sheet, Wilder Research, January 2020.

 

“As of January 2019, Minnesota had an estimated 7,977 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of that Total, 1,028 were family households, 297 were Veterans, 685 were unaccompanied young adults (aged 18-24), and 1,745 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness”

Source: United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “Minnesota Homelessness Statistics.”

 

“Officials report that there are now more than 80 encampments in St. Paul [in June 2020]— including one that is also growing near the Minnesota History Center grounds.” Read Here.

Hennepin County Statistics

Countywide 2018 homeless count = 4,072

Minnesota Statistics

Statewide 2013 homeless count by Wilder Research; Read More Here:

2012 – 10,214

2009 – 9,654

2006 – 7,751

2003 – 7,854

2000 – 7,696

1997 – 5,645

1994 – 4,553

1991 – 3,079

Photographs

A homeless person rolls up a sleeping mat in Peavy Plaza on the Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac).

 

A homeless encampment at The Mall (park) in Uptown of Minneapolis. Although disarray at homeless camps are common, this one recently experienced a fire in one of the tents, a common risk as cold weather approaches. View from the Midtown Greenway looking Southwest. (Photo by Dean Amundson, November 2020).

 

A homeless person huddles under a small blanket on the doorstep of the now burned out China Wok restaurant located at 27th Ave. S. & 28th St. E. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, November 2020).

 

In summer of 2020, homeless Americans filled the open spaces of Minneapolis parks. While initially accepted by the Park Board as a temporary solution to the housing crisis, police and public works staff were eventually called in on July 20th to remove the encampments. Twenty-one people were arrested. Pictured here is the Powderhorn East homeless camp in its first few days. [Photo courtesy of Twin Cities Almanac].

 

Maplewood, Minnesota homeless encampment just south of the Maplewood Library and west of Maplewood Mall. Fire department staff delivers water and ice to the makeshift food kitchen area. Only days earlier, a homeless man drowned in a nearby pond. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, July 2020).

 

Homeless encampment fenced in by the city and provided with portable toilets. Police also sat in cruisers at the site (not visible in this photo). It was located at the base of the Martin Sabo bike/pedestrian bridge on Highway 55 in Minneapolis. The city removed the encampment following the looting of the Target store located about two blocks away. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, May 19, 2020).

 

Homeless man sleeping near 46th Street East and Hiawatha Ave. S. in Minneapolis. Shelters are often viewed by homeless clients as cramped and unsafe. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, 2016).

 

Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues across from the Hennepin County Library, looking east. Man lying on the sidewalk. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, circa late 1990s).

 

Street people near 14th & Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, circa 1988).

 

Man sleeping at an Uptown bus bench, Minneapolis. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, circa 1990).

 

Camp-in at the University of Minnesota by students bringing attention to the plight of homeless people. Possibly located behind the Anderson Archives with art buildings in the background. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, circa early 1990s).

 

Homeless man sleeping in the late night hours on the east edge of Loring Park. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac, circa. 1990).

 

Homeless youth and their dog in the Uptown area of Minneapolis are spotted hiking along the 29th Street railroad tracks. (Photo by Twin Cities Almanac).

Resources:

“Minneapolis clears homeless encampment in Powderhorn Park.” [Minnesota Reformer, by Max Nesterak

“Marching for 103 Minnesotans who died while homeless.” [Southwest Journal, by Michelle Bruch. Jan 13, 2020]. Read Here.

“Wilder Research: Homelessness in Minnesota. Key findings from the 2018 Minnesota Homeless Study.” Read Here.

“Is it legal to panhandle in the median of Minneapolis streets?” [Star Tribune, by Randy Furst, November 13, 2020]. Read Here.

“Hennepin 2018 Homeless Counts.” Read Here.

Headlines

“Number living in outdoors camps declines in St. Paul.” [St. Paul Pioneer Press, Shannon Prather, August 22, 2021]. Read Here.

“St. Paul grapples with third encampment death this winter.” [Star Tribune, Shannon Prather, January 20, 2020]. Read Here.

“Fire breaks out at downtown St. Paul homeless encampment. Friday’s fire was the 17th at Kellogg Park this year.” [Star Tribune, Tim Harlow, December 18, 2020]. Read Here.