St. Paul City Council Meeting on Encampment Sweeps - July 23, 2026

The St. Paul City Council held a public hearing on July 23, 2026, regarding the planned closure of encampments, including the Pig's Eye (Fish Hatchery) encampment. Over 25 community members, including unhoused residents, outreach workers, public health experts, and clergy, testified in opposition to the sweeps, citing public health evidence, community harm, and lack of viable alternatives. The meeting was recessed before all speakers could be heard, with a future date to be announced.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Nearly every speaker opposed the mayor's encampment closure plan, arguing it is cruel, ineffective, and will increase harm.
• Several unhoused residents (Israel Dupree, Guadalupe Fongen, Melissa Kennedy, Jerson Lopez, Timothy Roderick, Julia Schaefer, Amanda, and others) shared personal stories of trauma, addiction recovery, community support, and fear of displacement. Many emphasized that the encampments provide safety and mutual aid that shelters do not.
• Israel Dupree (resident) stated the encampment community has built "villages" and asked the city to provide construction skills and resources to improve the site rather than destroy it.
• Jacqueline Levanier (educator, Ward 7) said the plan makes safety concerns "invisible" and cycles destruction, wasting resources that could go to outreach and housing.
• Adam Beers (formerly homeless, BA in sociology/psychology) urged a public health lens, citing that the city's HEART program only houses 75 people while identifying 115 unsheltered weekly (numbers now likely tripled). He noted sweeps destroy trust and cited Seattle's tiny home villages (63% move to permanent housing) and Austin's Community First! Village (88% retention).
• Kumi Smith (epidemiology professor, U of M) presented research showing overdose rates spike for two weeks after sweeps, and argued sweeps do not address fires, overdoses, or create shelter beds.
• Jerson Lopez (encampment resident) described unsanitary and unsafe shelter conditions (feces, roaches, theft), saying he feels safer in the encampment.
• Rebecca Homard (resident, Ward 7) demanded council represent all constituents, noted only 49 additional shelter beds are available for an estimated 200 residents, and criticized the proposed council pay raise.
• Nick Stary (Frogtown resident, recovery advocate) asked for a six-month stabilization effort with wraparound services before displacement.
• Wolf (encampment facilitator) said encampments provide safety and a path to housing; tearing them down says "we don't care if you get murdered, raped."
• Scout and Aaron (mutual aid workers, We R Zine) presented survey results from Pig's Eye residents, who said the eviction will cause "total chaos," more arrests and overdoses, and that the city should use the $300,000 cleanup cost for heating, running water, and restrooms.
• Lucid (housing justice program manager) called sweeps "active cruelty" and said the timeline is impossible for humane relocation.
• Anine (Native foundation leader) warned against repeating Minneapolis' failed sweeps and urged radical collaboration.
• Sam Lagner (Catholic Charities worker) argued housing is cheaper than emergency services and questioned why the city does not invest in safe consumption sites.
• Natasha Bennett (State Senate candidate) implored the city to invest $40 million in rental assistance directly in encampment residents.
• Casper Boyles (assistant professor of public health, resident) urged upstream solutions to prevent homelessness, noting that a $100 increase in median rent leads to a 9% increase in homelessness.
• Valerie Jarvis (Ward 4) highlighted that the majority of attendees opposed the sweep and called for community protection.
• Sam Robertson (domestic violence shelter, Ramsey CoC) said the city's plan leans on coordinated entry, which "is not quick" and should never be Plan A.
• Tom Diamond (lifelong resident) stated multiple things can be true: encampments cause safety concerns and the city should enforce existing park rules rather than disband community.
• Cal and Seneca Krueger (outreach workers, therapist) testified about losing clients after sweeps and that service providers were not consulted before the plan was announced.
• Julian Shoffler (resident) shared a story of providing midwife care in the encampment, noting such care is possible because of trust built over time.
• Lily Eggers (Ward 1) directly asked council members to raise hands if they would stop the sweeps; no hands were raised. She promised continued advocacy and electoral accountability.
• Ben Ames (public defender) noted the plan criminalizes homelessness and called it cruel, noting the absence of prosecutors, judges, and compassionate police presence.
• Several speakers referenced biblical passages (Isaiah 5:20) and called the plan against science and humanity.

Key Outcomes

• No votes or formal decisions were taken during this public hearing.
• The meeting was recessed at 6:30 PM, with several speakers unable to testify. Council President announced another meeting will be scheduled for additional testimony.
• The council did not issue a moratorium or publicly oppose the mayor's plan during the session.