St. Cloud Officials Focused on Resolving Homeless Camp Issue

(KNSI) – A homeless encampment has cropped up on St. Cloud’s east side, prompting complaints.

Mayor Dave Kleis says the city can only tear it down once certain conditions have been met. “Courts have ruled that we cannot move unless there’s someplace to move to. So, we are working very hard in the folks that do that, the private folks, to find some capacity. We can help facilitate and partner — counties are really the direction for social services. So, we’re working with our county partners, but we’re also working with folks to make sure that there’s a place.”

Kleis elaborated on how the partnership is going. He says, “We’re working with an entity that can help in that, that funds their own facility, so it wouldn’t be the city funding it, but how can we partner to help facilitate the ability for them to do that?”

City Attorney Renee Courtney addressed the council Monday night, saying that whether the action is criminal or civil, courts have ruled that necessity is a valid defense. If someone can show that there is no other place to go and they are not able to come up with other arrangements, they cannot be evicted from a temporary camp.

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