Minneapolis City Council Approves Lawsuit Against Landlord Over Homeless Encampment

The Minneapolis City Council voted 6-4 to authorize a lawsuit against property owner Hamoudi Sabri, who has allowed a homeless encampment to remain on his privately owned parking lot near East Lake Street and 28th Street South, citing public health and safety concerns. Despite multiple fines and orders to clear the encampment, Sabri refused to comply, leading the city to remove debris at his expense and pursue legal action including a temporary restraining order. Sabri criticized the council's decision as political theater and expressed frustration with city leadership, accusing Mayor Jacob Frey of merely shifting homeless populations without providing real solutions. City officials, including Health Commissioner Damōn Chaplin and Police Chief Brian O'Hara, described the encampment as a public health crisis involving human waste, garbage, and drug paraphernalia, emphasizing the need for intervention. Opponents of the lawsuit within the council raised concerns about the lack of available shelter beds for displaced residents. Sabri, who has a history of opening similar encampments on his properties, insists he is providing a necessary refuge for homeless individuals and calls for more substantive city action on homelessness.