St. Paul city leaders are looking for better options for those at homeless encampments
The city of St. Paul is looking for a way to stop the whack-a-mole approach to helping those living in homeless encampments.
Every member of St. Paul's city council is in favor of pausing homeless encampment evictions and providing an all-hands-on-deck approach to help residents sleeping outside.
They have a three-step process in mind.
"In the next 60 days, we are asking for a navigation tent a full-on one-stop shop potentially for folks who not only want to get access to shelter and housing, but we are talking wrap-around services, said Cheniqua Johnson.
They also envision a collaboration between city, state, and county to create housing for those wanting the help.
"And barrier shelter and then a more permanent low barrier shelter option," said Johnson.
That permanent option, tiny houses like those in Minneapolis and St Cloud, with 24/7 staffing and security by the nonprofit Avivo.
"It's an idea but it is also really truly it's we are committed to supporting the funds for it we are actually committed to doing the work to find the partnerships for it," said Johnson.
The question — how many tiny houses and where would they go?
City councilor Cheniqua Johnson says a solution will take teamwork from all parties.
"To work in partnership with the administration in identifying places because we don't have a large enough land piece to maybe do what you see in Minneapolis doesn't mean that we don't have something that we already own," Johnson said.
St. Paul is looking to cities like Denver as an example of what working together accomplish.
"You take successes like Mayor Johnston who has decreased the homeless population in Denver by almost 45 percent they didn't do that overnight you have to bring folks in and you also have to have units and the amount of housing opportunities differences that you do for the homeless population its one for one, "Johnson said.
In St. Paul with photojournalist Chris Cruz, Reg Chapman WCCO News.
Council member Johnson says the only one who can stop the closure of encampments is Mayor Her.
She asked people who want to get involved to write the mayor and ask her to join the city council in this 3-step process.
