Residents of the Waterford Bay Apartments in St. Paul, Minnesota, are expressing serious concerns about their safety and health due to a growing homeless encampment just next door. This situation has been ongoing for several months and has left many feeling uneasy.
In August, city workers cleared out a homeless camp at Pig’s Eye Park, but many of those individuals refused offers of shelter and instead relocated to the area near Shepard Road and Randolph Avenue, which is right next to the apartment complex.
Dave Zerwas, a resident who has lived there for over four years, has a view of the encampment from his apartment. He has noticed smoke rising from fires at the camp, describing the smell as burning plastic that seeps into his home. “It’s unpleasant,” he said, adding that he recently had to call medics to his apartment due to the impact.
Another resident, Oliver Heskin, took matters into his own hands by purchasing two air purifiers in an attempt to improve the air quality. He even set up some industrial air purifiers in the hallways of the building.
Other residents have reported witnessing drug use and vandalism, with Dani Anderson, who moved in last August, admitting she never would have chosen to live there if she had known about the situation. “I don’t feel safe anymore,” she mentioned, explaining that she has stopped biking due to fears of getting into a dangerous situation.
Anderson is also worried about her dog and the safety of her vehicle, which she fears may be broken into.
Last week, the St. Paul City Council decided to pause any action on clearing the camps for 60 days and plans to set up both temporary and permanent shelters. This delay is a point of frustration for Zerwas. “I don’t think anything will change,” he said, skeptical about the efficiency of city bureaucracy. “If they say they’ll move the camp in January, I just don’t believe it.”
A spokesperson for Mayor Kaohly Her mentioned that their plan is to eventually clear the encampment, but did not provide a specific timeline. “We’re working to connect individuals at the camp with shelter and services,” the spokesperson stated.
In the meantime, Zerwas is planning to move to a different unit within the complex to get away from the smoke, while Anderson is contemplating leaving the area entirely, although she worries about the costs involved. WCCO reached out to Waterford Bay Apartments for comment on these concerns but has not received a response yet.
