Regulatory Services Director Enrique Velasquez presented the city’s Encampment Closure Reports for quarters two and three of 2025 on Dec. 2.

For Q2 (March 18–June 30) there were no city‑supported encampment closures. The homeless response team (HRT) reported 834 visits (225 unique locations), with 93 housing referrals and six shelter reservations. Hennepin County reported 174 people exited unsheltered homelessness into shelter or stable housing during the quarter, though county data cannot specify whether those people were served from a particular encampment.

For Q3 (July 1–Sept. 30) the city conducted one city‑supported closure in Ward 9 that officials estimate affected about 60 unsheltered residents. In advance of that closure the HRT offered shelter 279 times, completed 12 intake assessments, and made 28 housing referrals; ultimately three people accepted shelter on the day of closure. Velasquez said seven people who wanted shelter could not be placed because there was no available shelter space at the time.

The city estimated the direct cost of that single closure at $16,382 — primarily Public Works solid waste removal, with MPD, regulatory services and Health Department support. The team reported 142.75 total staff hours on closure operations.

Council members raised concerns about trauma‑informed responses and retrieval of personal belongings. Council Member Chavez asked why residents at the closure were not permitted to return to retrieve belongings after a mass‑shooting incident at the site; Velasquez said unusual circumstances prevented on‑site retrieval that day and that staff would follow up with a written memo. Chavez also asked for clarity about whether a temporary encampment that formed near Moon Palace Books and the Third Precinct had been counted as a closure; staff said that event was treated as an emergency response and would be reviewed further.

Velasquez noted lessons learned: improve notification and tracking for partners, refine data collection with Hennepin County to follow individuals through coordinated entry, pre‑reserve shelter spaces when possible, and continue to develop an unsheltered homelessness dashboard that captures a wider range of unsheltered living situations beyond traditional tent encampments.

Why it matters: The report shows ongoing outreach and shift in operations to engage people living in vehicles and other non‑encampment settings, and highlights that shelter capacity constraints can prevent immediate placement of people seeking shelter during closures.

What’s next: Staff will provide follow‑up memos on specific closure questions, continue coordination with Hennepin County on data sharing and refine notification and storage procedures for residents’ belongings.