Minneapolis homeowner says city has not helped respond after encampment popped up on his property
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis homeowner is pleading for help after his property was taken over by people living in tents.
Duylinh Nguyen says the encampment on his Phillips neighborhood property popped up three years ago, after the city cleared the Hiawatha encampment. Now, he says he's concerned for his own safety, along with the safety of his neighbors.
"We see a lot of folks who are addicted, I mean there are needles all over the ground," he said. "There is trash everywhere, there are shopping carts everywhere."
Neighbors also keep him up to date on activities in the lot by sending him pictures and videos of open air drug dealing and prostitution.
"Police were pretty helpful clearing it out the past few years but for whatever reason this year I've called four times and every time they put us on hold, or they say they'd send someone out there," Nguyen said.
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But according to Nguyen, police never showed up. So he kept calling and sending pictures of what was happening.
"I think we all know this is not a housing issue. It's an addiction issue I hope that these people can get the help that they need," he said.
After weeks of no response from city officials, Nguyen called WCCO.
WCCO then called and emailed photos to the city, which got a response.
"Thanks to you, a city official has contacted me and put me in contact with an encampment specialist," Nguyen said. "I don't know what that means, I have not been reached out by that person yet."
Maren Hardy, a former homeless response coordinator for the city of Minneapolis said the city is "failing" and not talking to community leaders.
"It's 100% an addiction issue," Hardy, who works at Spirit Care Resources, said. "This is not a homeless issue, they are homeless because of their addiction."
She believes more resources needs to be put into treatment and the revival of drug court.
For now, the tent city continues to grow and neighbors, afraid to speak on camera for fear of retaliation from those who stay there, feel like hostages in their own community.
"We have to have some kind of solution," said Nguyen. "Those people don't deserve to live in those types of conditions."
As of 6 p.m. Friday, Nguyen says the encampment specialist has not reached out to him and city officials have not responded to WCCO's request for a response to the issue.
