For nearly 10 months a tent city has been growing along a 6 lane stretch of road on the south side of Minneapolis. The encampment of homeless people has been dubbed the Wall of Forgotten Natives for the many Native people staying there. This week a new shelter is opening on a plot of land in Minneapolis owned by the Red Lake Nation. Reporter Melissa Townsend tells us what’s next for the residents of the camp and the shelter.
Transcript
HEADLINES This week on Minnesota Native News, the plan to help Natives experiencing homelessness in Minneapolis and beyond.
HOST INTRO:
For nearly 10 months a tent city has been growing along a 6 lane stretch of road on the south side of Minneapolis.
The encampment of homeless people has been dubbed the Wall of Forgotten Natives for the many Native people staying there.
This week a new shelter is opening on a plot of land in Minneapolis owned by the Red Lake Nation.
Reporter Melissa Townsend tells us more.
REPORTER: The 1.5 million dollar shelter is called a Navigation center and it is unlike any other shelter in the city.
it is staffed with people offering support services - hence the name,
It’s open 24 hours a day so no one is forced to leave during daytime hours —
and there are no sobriety requirements for entry.
It is also temporary. The shelter which opened this week is slated to close in May.
Minneapolis city officials say they are moving camp residents from their tents to the navigation center this week.
But they haven’t given any details on what will happen to the tent camp or the people who say they want to stay there.
Many Native led organizations in the area support moving people out of the camp into the navigation center.
GOZEE: I just haven’t found the camp to be a sustainable housing option. And I don’t agree that keeping people in such dire straits is such a good thing. (:15)
Michael Gozee is CEO of the American Indian Community Development Corporation.
The non-profit builds and manages permanent supportive housing complexes around the American Indian Cultural Corridor.
Gozee says the navigation center will help people stay safe and warm this winter but in the end - that’s not nearly enough.
GOZEE: That’s my concern with the Navigation enter—- we are going to provide a level of housing for a number of months. But then what?
While all this has been happening — the Minneapolis city council just passed a new plan with $40 million dollars to build new affordable housing in the city.
Gozee says that’s great - but will it be the kind of supportive housing he thinks folks in the camp really need?
GOZEE: The level of intensity that we need to help the people that are struggling the hardest is greater. (:09)
Gozee wants to see super affordable units with support services like case management.
GOZEE: We’ve been very successful with providing housing with supportive services. We have some case managers who can work with the people because I see that the more people we have helping them works best. (:15)
From the first city wide meetings about the homeless encampment, city leaders talked about developing a short term solution and a long term solution.
Apparently the short term solution is here — the Navigation Center.
Now, what about the long term solution?
How will city, county, state and tribal leaders provide appropriate housing AND SERVICES to help people move their lives in a positive direction.
GOZEE: There have been small conversations but there’s never been a strategic conversation with all the players brought to the table to have meaningful conversation in regards to next steps…(:16)
Gozee says it’ll take a lot of talk and a lot of money.
GOZEE: You know Minnesota really has the ability to provide a greater level of support for the less fortunate of every community no matter whether it’s here or Fergus Falls. I think that has to be looked at. (:16)
In the meantime there will be some folks int eh navigation center, probably some folks still in the camp and untold number of people scattered under bridges, and along road sides around the region.
For Minnesota Native News, I’m Melissa Townsend.