St. Paul encampment residents unsure where to relocate in face of impending eviction

By Katelyn Vue | Sahan Journal

St. Paul plans to evict a homeless encampment near the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary that is home to many Hmong residents. 

About 40 occupants were at the site as of Wednesday morning; roughly half identify as Hmong or Southeast Asian, according to the city. Kabo Yang, a volunteer who regularly visits the camp, said the number of occupants is likely much higher. 

Yellow vacate notices were posted on Jan. 7 throughout the encampment, notifying residents that they had to leave by Jan. 16. 

The city said that the encampment is a “danger to health and safety.” The encampment has been at the location since at least August 2023, and has been the subject of more than 400 police calls and more than 50 calls for fire or medical services, according to an emailed statement from Casey Rodriguez, communications manager for the city of St. Paul’s Department of Safety & Inspections.

“Encampments do not provide a safe, healthy, or secure living environment,” said Rodriguez’s statement.

St. Paul Fire Deputy Chief Jamie Smith said in an emailed statement that he visited the encampment in October, and found “poor” sanitary conditions and trash strewn about. 

The site also had multiple fires intentionally burning in pits, he said. The fires were used for heating and possibly also for cooking and burning trash. There was evidence that the fires had been set near tents, which were made of highly flammable materials. There were no easily accessible means of extinguishing fires, Smith said.

“The numerous hazards mentioned are of significant concern to the Fire Department. They pose lifesafety risks to occupants and visitors to this encampment site,” read Smith’s statement. “The hazards also pose risks to first responders who will need to respond to calls for emergencies at this site.” 

Sahan Journal visited the encampment in October, when there were at least 60 residents. Some residents said at the time that they were worried about the winter, and the difficulties of living without basic necessities. 

May Xiong, who was 63 at the time, said she was the oldest resident. 

“I make very little, it’s not enough for rent,” she said in Hmong. “You only eat and live day by day.”

Xiong said not having running water or a refrigerator were the biggest challenges to living at the encampment.

Ramsey County Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong told Sahan Journal Thursday that the city notified her about police calls and fires at the encampment before the vacate notices were posted. She said she hopes a plan for relocation will be crafted before the eviction.

The county recently established a new contract with a few organizations, including those with Hmong and Karen speakers, to specifically focus on supporting residents from the encampment, she said. 

The city began coordinating the encampment closure in December.

“I think that if they want to do this, they gotta find housing or they have to know where they want to put these people before just going down there, just bulldozing everything,” Yang said. 

She said that many camp residents don’t know where they’ll go. 

“Our goal throughout the closure process is to connect interested residents with support services, available shelter options, and storage or transport of personal belongings if needed,” said Rodriguez’s statement. “We will be on-site along with our partner organizations as long as needed to ensure the site is clear.”

The vacate notices at the encampment near the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary list resources for housing support or shelter. However, two of the shelters on the vacate notices are at full capacity most nights, said Therese Gales, Catholic Charities’ media relations manager, and Sarah Peterka, director of communications for Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities.

Peterka said shelter beds at the mission are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. She encouraged camp residents to join the mission’s dinner at 5:30 p.m. and ask about availability. 

One of the phone numbers listed on the vacate notices is geared towards families with children, and connects to the United Way, which does not operate a shelter. Calls to United Way initiate an intake process for Ramsey County’s housing program; responses can take a few days. 

The city said it does not plan to close a different encampment behind an abandoned Kmart on St. Paul’s East Side that also has a large Hmong population.