St. Paul – Mayor Kaohly Her reaffirmed her commitment to clearing homeless encampments in the city, even as the St. Paul City Council adopted a non‑binding resolution calling for 60 days of increased outreach before any future clearings. The council’s measure also urges the city to expand low‑barrier shelter options.
Background on recent actions
In August, Mayor Her ordered the closure of an encampment near Pig’s Eye Park, where the city estimated about 140 people were living. The city had set aside $1 million to expand shelter bed capacity ahead of the clearing, but only seven residents opted for the shelter space. Since that closure, many former residents have relocated to an encampment near Shepard Road, which has reportedly tripled in size.
Earlier this year, police Chief Axel Henry filed a sexual‑harassment complaint against the mayor, leading to an independent investigation. The investigation cleared Mayor Her of harassment but found her conduct “offensive and inappropriate,” recommending professional‑boundary training, workplace conduct training, and an executive coach at her own expense. Mayor Her declined to comment on those recommendations.
Mayor’s response to council resolution
Mayor Her expressed support for the council’s 60‑day engagement plan, noting that much of the outreach work the council outlined is already underway. Since August, the city and Ramsey County have been in contact with more than 300 people from the encampments, providing information about shelter resources and other assistance.
“We are already doing a lot of the outreach the council is asking for,” Her said. “Our goal is to connect people to safe indoor shelter before the harsh winter arrives.” She added that the city continues to explore additional indoor shelter space for the season.
Future clearing plans
Mayor Her confirmed that the city intends to move forward with clearing the Shepard Road encampment, though she did not provide a specific timeline. “We were told setting a date was not the right thing to do. And now we don’t have a date, and now everyone says you need to set a date,” she said, indicating frustration with criticism that she feels ignores the broader public‑safety concerns.
She emphasized that her responsibility is to balance the needs of encampment residents with those of neighboring neighborhoods. “As the mayor, I have to look at the perspectives of all of the people in the city, not just those in the encampments, but those also living near encampments,” Her explained.
Public‑safety and community concerns
Neighborhood residents near the encampments have voiced safety worries, and Mayor Her said those concerns are a key factor in her decision‑making. She noted that the city’s public‑safety operations have not been diminished by the ongoing dispute with the police chief.
First Assistant Mayor Erica Schumacher now oversees communication with the police department, a routine arrangement that historically keeps the police chief from contacting the mayor directly.
Looking ahead
The mayor’s office will continue to work with Ramsey County, local service providers, and community volunteers to expand low‑barrier shelter options and provide outreach services. While the council’s resolution is non‑binding, it adds a formal framework for community engagement that the mayor says aligns with the city’s existing efforts.
Mayor Her’s stated goal remains the eventual closure of all encampments in St. Paul, beginning with Pig’s Eye Park, and she indicated that the city will keep moving toward that objective while ensuring that vulnerable residents have access to safe shelter before winter sets in.
Original reporting: Sahan Journal — read the source article.
