One of the largest homeless encampments in Minneapolis was cleared last week by MnDOT after a scathing statement from Minneapolis City Council member Jamal Osman. The encampment was connected with a deadly shooting that took the life of 27-year-old Adnan Mohamed Ali, who was located at the encampment with fatal wounds. In Osman’s statement, he vehemently called for immediate action, saying, “For months MnDOT has refused to meet with community members whose quality of life they directly impact. For months MnDOT has refused to lead in ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of nearly 100 Minnesota residents. This morning there was a fatal shooting at the encampment…I call on MnDOT to work with the City of Minneapolis to close this encampment as soon as possible.

The residents I represent deserve better.” This quote and the rest of the statement spurred MnDOT into action. MnDOT has also stated that they have provided resources and locations for the homeless that were displaced to utilize, such as storage for their belongings, and in contact with outreach organizations. However, there may not be enough solutions for the growing homeless population. Homelessness in American cities is at an all time high post-pandemic. According to security.org, 582,462 individuals are experiencing homelessness in America, an increase of about 2,000 people since the last complete census conducted in 2020, and about 30% of this population is experiencing chronic homelessness, meaning they have been homeless for over 12 months or had extended periods of homelessness for the last three years.

This raises the question: are the solutions for homelessness just temporary? It may be a societal issue, going much deeper than Minneapolis. Currie Park, a children’s park near where the encampment was located, is very close to home for some University of Minnesota students being only one block away from the Carlson School of Management and Hanson Hall. U of M senior Bennett Coffou played rugby there last Summer with his club teammates. Senior JB Burbach makes his way over to West Bank fairly often for class. When asked about this violence being so close to campus, U of M senior JB Burbach said: “It’s a shame. The efforts of the school have been sad and impactful, I think it’s a major problem in the Dinkytown and The city needs to do something about sooner rather than later Como neighborhoods”.

In fact, violence in the Twin Cities has been steadily rising since 2020, when Minnesota had 185 murders, the most in our state since 1995. In 2021, the Minneapolis Metro Area saw a 23.9% increase in violent crime, registering 96 homicides in the city alone. With that being said, Tim Walz and the City of Minneapolis have made a commitment to using more resources and strengthening police presence around Minneapolis, and with his recent re-election, we can hope that Gov.

Walz sees this commitment through. I asked JB Burbach on his opinion on if Gov. Walz will stay true to this commitment. “I think this is a bipartisan issue, but ultimately, police won’t choose to serve Minneapolis if the city doesn’t choose to serve them.” This quote is likely a reference to when Joan Gabel discontinued the University’s relationship with the Minneapolis police in 2021. Although her decision was based around good-natured social justice initiatives, crime rose in the city, as was referenced earlier in this article, when in 2021 the Minneapolis Metro Area saw a 23.9% increase in crime. We as students in Minneapolis should trust that we are safe in our homes and on our campus, and this recent closure of the homeless encampment by MnDOT confirms it, along with the recent commitment of Governor Tim Walz.