After Pig's Eye closure, St. Paul encampment doubles in size near luxury apartments

The closure of the Pig's Eye Park encampment in St. Paul, Minnesota, prompted dozens of people living there to take up residence at a different city encampment some seven miles up the Mississippi River.

Tenants at a luxury apartment building just across the street from the public accessway to the camp have noticed, stating that police are now showing up far more often to deal with issues in the neighborhood. 

On Wednesday, citing extensive public safety concerns, the City of St. Paul shut down the Pig's Eye encampment off Fish Hatchery Road. As a result, a longtime resident at the encampment off Randolph Avenue and Shepherd Road said that the Randolph population doubled. 

The Waterford Bay Apartments borders part of the woods where the encampment is set up. Gabby Anderson, a tenant at Waterford, said that 911 calls went up this week as the Randolph encampment grew. 

"Economic times, it's really tough for everybody, we all get it," Anderson said. "We all want to get along and just have a kumbaya, but at the end of the day they are breaking into people's cars, they're entering the building, they're doing things that we're not super comfortable with." 

Kevin Garcia is a fellow tenant. He said that most of the time, things are peaceful, but he too is noticing the increased police presence. 

"They're living their life, they're trying to do their thing. We're living our life and it's really good to be accepting," Garcia said. 

Several people in the encampment told WCCO they want to keep to themselves and build community, finding the encampments to be a safe haven as they work towards trying to attain stable housing.

Neither the City of St. Paul nor Ramsey County could provide information on how many people sought a shelter bed in the wake of the Pig's Eye closure. 

The local government is spending at least $1 million to expand shelter capacity, with city leadership stating that the encampments are too dangerous for everyone involved to stay open. On the day of the Pig's Eye shutdown. Mayor Kaohly Her did not speak to reporters directly, instead releasing this statement:

"Today was possible because City staff, service providers, and community volunteers working together to keep safety, wellbeing and dignity at the center of our decision making. I'm pleased that many individuals were able to meet with our outreach teams and that it was done with patience and trust. I'm also grateful to the community for your continued compassion. Every person was offered shelter and resources. Our commitment to health and safety continues well beyond today."

DFL state Rep. Leigh Finke, who represents parts of St. Paul in the Minnesota House of Representatives, said she advocated for cancelling or delaying the Pig's Eye closure. The city has stated that Randolph and other major encampments will eventually close, and Finke is concerned this is all happening without a plan to get people into stable housing. 

"We should not be mass moving people around the city, it is not a solution," Finke said. "What we should be doing is offering multiple housing solutions to people who are experiencing homelessness and giving them the resources they need to access them." 

Finke said that conversations with Her and her team have been productive, but she's concerned about what will happen when the city approaches Randolph, believing the situation has gotten more complex. 

"The [Pig's Eye] location was very accessible. Now people are living at a much less accessible and smaller place with more people and fewer resources. I mean, it's really going to be an issue," Finke said. 

Prior to the Pig's Eye shutdown, city officials estimated that around 220 people lived across three major encampments, with 140 of them at Pig's Eye. 

City leaders continue to emphasize a need to prioritize safety. 

"As a city, we have a responsibility to keep public spaces safe and accessible while helping people experiencing homelessness connect to shelter, housing, and supportive services," a statement on the city's website reads. "That's why our response combines the closure of encampments with sustained outreach before, during and after each transition."