Title
Supporting a Coordinated Response to Unsheltered Homelessness.
Body
WHEREAS, unsheltered homelessness is the downstream impact of failed policies, and the City of Saint Paul seeks to provide a new path and more suitable resources for our residents; and
WHEREAS, people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are members of our community entitled to dignity, safety, and meaningful access to shelter, housing, and supportive services; and
WHEREAS, barriers to shelter may include identification requirements, accessibility needs, separation from partners or pets, restrictions on belongings, operating hours, and unmet health or behavioral health needs; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Heading Home Ramsey, and community service providers have complementary roles in addressing homelessness, including outreach, shelter operations, housing navigation, land use, development, permitting, and funding; and
WHEREAS, the City Council previously authorized a $1.08 million transfer to Ramsey County to expand emergency shelter capacity ahead of the August 5, 2026 closure of the Pig’s Eye Park encampment; and
WHEREAS, this resolution sets out a three-part response to unsheltered homelessness: (1) an intentional 60-day strategic investment period with a navigation tent before any encampment closures; (2) a temporary indoor low-barrier shelter to operate for six months over this winter; and (3) a permanent low-barrier shelter based on the indoor village model; and
WHEREAS, trust is essential to service provision, and it can only be built through a consistent presence where people are living; and
WHEREAS, bringing a navigation tent with services to where people are living has been successfully used by other jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, large indoor spaces have been successfully used by other jurisdictions as temporary shelter and offer sleeping areas with privacy, restrooms, showers, storage and laundry, and access to services and transportation; and
WHEREAS, the indoor village model serves people experiencing unsheltered homelessness for whom other shelter options are not suitable, informed by the people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council requests an intentional 60-day strategic investment period with a navigation tent before any encampment closure, except where a closure is needed to address an immediate threat to life or safety; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that when the immediate threat exception is used, the Council requests that the Administration document the specific threat, the reasons less disruptive measures are insufficient, and the notice, transportation, placement assistance, and protection of personal belongings provided to affected residents, and report that information to the Council within three business days after the action, while protecting private information; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the navigation tent be led by service providers, County and City staff, running a focused by-name process with a scheduled, trauma-informed presence, coordinated entry assessments on site, and daily or every-other-day check-ins among all coordinating entities, for a minimum of two weeks of intensive services to build the by-name list, three weeks of casework to find each person a housing placement, and two weeks of wrap-up to reach anyone not yet reached; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council requests that the Administration identify a gym or similar large indoor space for the temporary low barrier shelter, including publicly held buildings of the City, Ramsey County and the State of Minnesota; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council supports a qualified convener to convene family and single-adult providers, coordinate the by-name list in partnership with other providers in coordination with Ramsey County’s Housing Stability Department, and carry out planning and pre-development; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council supports establishing a temporary indoor low-barrier shelter in a gym or similar large indoor space, stood up while the Navigation tent operates, operated by a qualified provider with 24-hour access and semi-private sleeping arrangements, storage, options for pets and partners, wraparound services, consistent with the City’s procurement requirements, subject to a use agreement and zoning, building and fire code approvals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council supports developing a permanent low barrier shelter based on the indoor village model or other similar low-barrier long term supportive housing option operated by a qualified provider consistent with the City’s procurement requirements, subject to zoning, building and fire code approvals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council requests that the Administration identify sites for the permanent low-barrier shelter, including publicly held land and buildings of the City, Ramsey County and the State of Minnesota, and report to the Council by February 3, 2027; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council is willing to support the City funding a portion of this work and we also call for funding from other jurisdictions including Ramsey County, the Minnesota State Legislature, its other partners and philanthropy for the navigation tent, the temporary low barrier shelter, and the development and operation of the permanent low barrier shelter; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council, as a partner in this work, will coordinate with Heading Home Ramsey, the Mayor’s Administration and service providers as the three phases roll out to assess what is working, what encampment residents continue to need, and what gaps remain to inform how this plan moves forward; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Mayor, Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, the Saint Paul legislative delegation, Heading Home Ramsey, and relevant City departments.