City's Response to Encampments

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why close encampments rather than continuing to manage them?

   Encampments are not a safe or stable long-term living situation. While some of these encampments have been in existence for some time, there comes a point when the public health and safety risks become too great to leave them in place.

   This decision follows an analysis and recommendation from multiple City departments, including Safety and Inspections, Police, Fire & EMS, Neighborhood Safety, and Emergency Management. Their assessment identified growing concerns about fires, medical emergencies, violence, environmental hazards, and other risks affecting both the people living at the encampments and the surrounding community.

   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. That's why our response combines the closure of encampments with sustained outreach before, during, and after each transition.

2. How many people are at the encampments?

   Current estimates indicate that approximately 140 people are staying at Pig's Eye Park, with an additional 80 people across the City's other two major encampment sites.

   These numbers can change as people move in and out of locations, which is why outreach teams continue working directly with individuals to understand who is at each site and what support they need. The City's Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART), Familiar Faces, and Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) teams are on site daily, building on long-standing relationships to help individuals understand the transition process, connect with housing and supportive services, and receive wellness checks and other assistance.

   Ramsey County has also expanded its presence, with a dedicated team of 10 staff members onsite each weekday morning representing Housing Stability, Financial Assistance Services, Social Services, and Public Health. This coordinated approach helps connect individuals with a broader range of services and resources in real time.

3. Are the encampments safe for the people living there?

   No. We recognize that many people living in encampments are there because they have nowhere else to go, and we agree that closing encampments alone will not end homelessness. Long-term solutions require more affordable housing, behavioral health services, and investments from county, state, and federal partners.

   At the same time, allowing encampments to remain is not a safe or sustainable alternative. A formal fire-safety assessment documented conditions the Fire Marshal characterized as significant life-safety risks to residents and responders alike:

   • Open burn pits, used for heat and cooking, within feet of tents.

   • Propane tanks, gas-powered generators, and charcoal grills in direct contact with, or within arm's reach of, highly flammable nylon and polyester shelters.

   • No fire extinguishers and no source of potable drinking water anywhere on site.

   • Tents pitched close together, so that a fire in one can spread rapidly to others.

   The public safety data tells the same story. Between July 1, 2025, and July 6, 2026, first responders were dispatched to the encampment at Pig's Eye Park 101 times, including

   • 81 medical emergencies

   • 20 fires

   • 14 assaults

   • 11 domestic/restraining order

   • 9 weapons

   • 8 drugs/narcotics

   • 5 death investigations

   • 3 missing persons

   • 1 sex offense

   • 1 person in crisis

   Everyone deserves a safe place to live. Our responsibility is to address immediate public health and safety risks while working with Ramsey County and community partners to help people move from unsafe encampments to shelter, housing, and supportive services.

4. Are encampments legal in Saint Paul?

   No. Establishing a temporary shelter on public property is not permitted under Saint Paul City ordinance. However, the issue before the City is not whether people experiencing homelessness should be punished. It is whether allowing encampments to remain in place is a safe or sustainable option for the people living there.

   The City recognizes that people living in encampments are often experiencing homelessness and significant challenges. That is why the City’s response is not focused on enforcement alone. Outreach teams have been working directly with individuals to build relationships, understand their needs, and connect them with shelter, housing, health services, and other supportive resources.

   The City’s decision to transition encampments also reflects its responsibility to address public health and safety concerns. While housing and homelessness solutions require partnership with Ramsey County, the State, and the federal government, the City is responsible for managing public spaces and responding when conditions create risks for the people living there and the broader community.

5. What happens on the ground during an actual closure day?

   Closure day is the culmination of weeks of outreach, relationship-building, and coordination. 

   City and County staff will be on site throughout the day to support individuals as they transition from the encampment. Outreach teams will help people pack their belongings, connect them with available shelter, treatment, and supportive services, and assist them in navigating their next steps. The response is coordinated across multiple City departments, including Safety & Inspections, HART, Familiar Faces, CARES, Police, Fire & EMS, and the Mayor's Office, with additional support from Emergency Management, Parks & Recreation, Public Works, and the City Attorney's Office. 

   Once individuals have safely transitioned and personal belongings have been addressed, City crews will clean and restore the site. Any remaining property will be handled in accordance with City procedures.

   City and County outreach teams will continue following up with individuals after the transition to help them remain connected to housing resources, behavioral health services, and other critical supports. 

6. How is this different from past encampment closures?

   Functionally, it isn’t. We closed encampments in 2025 and 2024. In each case, we provided similar advance notice to residents, coordinated with our partners, and worked to connect those living there with shelter and/or treatment resources. 

   We’ve worked closely with our partners to provide wraparound support to those living in the encampments, but this is not a singular event. It is an ongoing effort. We’ll continue to coordinate with partners throughout the closure process and engage with unsheltered homeless individuals to hear what resources they need and how we can best support them. 

7. Do you have enough shelter beds and housing to support everyone?

   No single agency has enough housing to immediately place every person experiencing homelessness.

   Addressing homelessness requires coordination across every level of government because no single agency has all the tools to solve it alone. Ramsey County leads the region's emergency shelter system and many health and human services, while the State and federal governments play a critical role in funding affordable housing, rental assistance, behavioral health services, and other long-term supports. The City's responsibility is to keep public spaces safe and accessible while connecting people to available housing, shelter, and supportive services.

   As we carry out these transitions, we are working closely with Ramsey County and community partners to maximize available shelter, housing placements, and supportive services. Outreach teams are working one-on-one with each individual to identify the best available option based on their needs, and that work continues before, during, and after each transition.

8. How has the City worked with people living in encampments before making this decision?

   The City’s outreach teams have been working alongside people experiencing homelessness in Saint Paul for years. The Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART), Familiar Faces, and Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) teams have built relationships with individuals living in encampments and throughout the community. They know people by name, understand their personal circumstances, and have taken the time to learn their stories.

   Their work goes far beyond sharing information. Outreach staff meet people where they are, help identify what support they need, and connect them directly to resources. They provide transportation to appointments and services, help people navigate systems that can be difficult to access, and continue working with individuals who want support. Teams track each person who engages in services and will continue following up after encampment transitions to help maintain those connections.

   These teams also play a critical role in helping the City understand what is happening on the ground. Their relationships and firsthand knowledge help inform operational decisions, identify barriers, and connect the City with service providers and partners who can best support individuals.

   The goal of outreach is to build trust, reduce barriers, and help people move toward safer and more stable options while ensuring no one is left without continued connection to support.

9. What culturally specific services are available for encampment residents?

   City, County, and community partners will be providing outreach and resources in multiple languages including Hmong and Spanish. As other needs are identified these culturally appropriate resources will be sought out and added as part of the response. 

10. Has the City tried to address safety within the encampments short of closing them?

    Yes. Saint Paul Police Department, Department of Safety and Inspections, and Saint Paul Fire Department held fire safety classes at encampments to teach best practices, fire safety basics, what to do if there’s a fire in a tent, and more.

11. What happens to people's belongings?

    Our goal is to keep people connected to their belongings whenever possible. Throughout the transition, staff will work directly with individuals to help them pack and move their personal property. We make every reasonable effort not to separate people from their belongings.

    The City has also secured temporary storage for personal belongings during the transition, and individuals are being notified in advance so they have time to prepare and understand their options.

    If belongings are left behind, staff will make every reasonable effort to confirm they have been abandoned before removing them. However, the City cannot store items that are soiled, contaminated, perishable, or pose a health or safety hazard.