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County says it has mobilized outreach and heat-response teams ahead of planned encampment closures
Summary
Ramsey County leadership described coordination with the city and community partners ahead of rolling encampment closures and announced activation of a heat-response team with cooling spaces and mobile service vans. County officials said the Community Wellness and Response Initiative will provide outreach, wound care, basic needs and navigation to services for residents affected by closures.
County leadership reported that the city intends to conduct rolling closures of homeless encampments and that Ramsey County has mobilized a "Community Wellness and Response Initiative" to coordinate outreach to residents. The county said outreach teams, care vans and partners (including Radius Health, Salvation Army and the Red Cross) are engaged to provide wound care, food, water and referrals to housing, health care and financial assistance.
The county manager told commissioners the heat-response team has been activated for an expected multi-day heat event with heat-index forecasts of 101, 100 and 97 degrees on successive days and that the county webpage lists available cooling spaces. The manager identified Pig's Eye Park as an immediate priority site with upwards of 250 people expected to be present during the first closure window and asked departments to continue coordinating wraparound services to connect residents with shelter and supports.
County staff emphasized the county's role is to provide services and build trust, while noting the city determines encampment closure timing. The county manager said, "I have mobilized within our county what's called the Community Wellness and Response Initiative," and urged continued interdepartmental coordination and partnership with community organizations to avoid siloed responses.
