Minneapolis Continues Work to Assist City’s Unsheltered Population

The City of Minneapolis has closed an encampment on private property at S. 28th Avenue and E. Lake Street. City leaders held an afternoon news conference to discuss resources available to the unhoused, as well as the public health and safety concerns caused by encampments. If you missed the press conference, visit the City's YouTube page.

While one person experiencing homelessness is one too many, the rate of unsheltered homelessness in Hennepin County in 2024 was already less than half the national average. And while many cities are seeing drastic increases in unsheltered homelessness, we're steadily decreasing. This year, the unsheltered population has decreased by 14% (a reduction of 33.5% the peak in 2020). There is still much more work to be done, but this shows our work in partnership with the County and many service providers, is having a significant impact.

Homelessness is a symptom of many challenges in our society. The City works on multiple levels to prevent homelessness and address the challenges that lead to homelessness - including:

Confronting the fentanyl epidemic

With the so many parts or our community impacted by the fentanyl crisis and broader addiction issues, the City has invested significant resources - including opioid settlement funds - to expand healthcare access and confront the scourge of fentanyl on Minneapolis streets.

In the last year, the City has opened two free, 24-hour NARCAN vending machines , with a third opening later this month - dispensing thousands of life-saving doses of NARCAN in the program's first year alone. Last month, the City launched its first-ever Mobile Medical Unit - a medical clinic on wheels - bringing vital healthcare services, addiction treatment and recovery resources, and connections to primary preventive care directly to neighborhoods with limited access to healthcare. And through partnerships with universities, hospitals and community groups, the City has implemented initiatives ranging from educational initiatives to empower greater youth understanding of brain health and offer free addiction medication to those with opioid use disorder that allows patients to start a steady path toward long-term recovery.

Read more about the City's investments in addiction health and efforts to confront the fentanyl epidemic

Increasing affordable housing access

The City invests in affordable housing across the continuum, from deeply affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness, to rental assistance for families with kids in school, to homeownership for first time homebuyers - making Minneapolis a national leader in affordable housing and providing more opportunities for those experiencing homelessness or on the verge of homelessness to get access to reliable shelter.

The City has also advanced a nation-leading policy change to allow more types of housing in more places across the City - an approach that's showing results by producing 8.5 times more deeply affordable housing since 2018 . Prioritizing the development of multifamily housing for people with the lowest incomes, the City has invested in more than 1,000 new units of this type of housing over the past three years. Since the 2019 launch of Stable Homes Stable Schools in 2019 through the end of last year, 2,130 families with 5,974 children across 24 MPS elementary schools have received housing assistance and supportive services to help keep them stably housed. The City has also invested in low barrier shelters and permanent housing solutions like Avivo Village and the new Simpson Community Apartments and Shelter.

Read more about the City's investments in affordable housing

Addressing mental health challenges

The City is actively working to address mental health concerns among the unsheltered population through a multifaceted approach that includes trauma-informed outreach, mobile medical and mental health services, and innovative shelter models.

Avivo Village offers private dwellings alongside wraparound care. The Homeless Response Team engages directly with people living in encampments to connect them with mental health and substance use services, while the Mobile Medical Unit brings behavioral health support to those unable to access traditional clinics. The City's Behavioral Crisis Units can be quickly dispatched anywhere in the City to assist those dealing with a mental health crisis. Additionally, the city funds several community-based programs focused on trauma recovery and wellbeing.

Read more about the City's efforts to address mental health challenges

Providing inclusive economic opportunities

With the unemployment rate in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area already below the national average, the City of Minneapolis is putting continuous effort into strengthening equitable and inclusive access to economic opportunity to empower communities to thrive.

For example, this includes expanding civil rights protections to make it illegal to discriminate based on housing status; reducing barriers for people and businesses through workforce skill building, small business support, help for commercial real estate and business development, licensing information, and more, with a strong focus on communities that have historically been cut off from such support; offering jobs and resources that enable economic stability for young people ; and ensuring strong foundations for employment throughout the city with a state-leading minimum wage that will increase to $16.37 on Jan. 1, 2026 , and providing all who work in Minneapolis, including part-time workers, with access to sick and safe time .

Read more about the City's vision for inclusive economic opportunity

Human Trafficking

The City created a campaign to bring awareness of human trafficking to the public. The City's website lists several resources to those in the life and at risk of sex trafficking, which has been found in encampments.

Read more about the City's assistance programs to help combat human trafficking