Resident proposes 35-person tent encampment pilot to expand emergency sheltering during cold spells
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Summary
A downtown resident proposed a 35-person tent encampment with staff supervision as a short-term sheltering option to reduce nightly unsheltered counts; the proposal estimated $75,000–$100,000 for three months and was submitted to commissioners for consideration.
Andrew Hennessy, a downtown Fargo resident, addressed the commission during public comment to outline a proposed temporary tent encampment intended to increase emergency shelter capacity during extreme cold.
Hennessy described current winter shelter systems—including the Gladys Ray Shelter and a winter warming center—while noting that 50 to 100 people per night still go unsheltered in downtown Fargo. He proposed a pilot encampment for 35 sheltered adults with roughly 20/7 staff supervision, and estimated the total operating cost, including staffing, at $75,000 to $100,000 for a three-month pilot period. He said he had sent a copy of the proposal to commissioners and published a letter to the editor describing the plan.
Hennessy urged the commission to direct that any city funding provided to the Fargo-Moorhead Coalition to End Homelessness be applied to projects on a per-project basis. The commission did not take action at the meeting; commissioners acknowledged receipt of the proposal.