Weeks after Duluth public safety officials cleared out the encampment in Priley Circle, the Duluth City Council is continuing to look for solutions for the city’s unhoused population.

After recent meetings with dozens of community members showing up to voice their concerns in the conversation over the unhoused situation in Duluth, the August 26 city council meeting was proceeded with a Committee of the Whole meeting regarding the encampment removal and how to continue to look for solutions.

During this time, council members heard from public safety officials from the Duluth Fire Department, as well as the group Stepping On Up Duluth – a collaboration between 12 agencies working to address homelessness in the northland.

Stepping On Up representatives explained their three-pronged plan in supporting the unhoused. Disaster Response – which includes resources for people struggling with homelessness such as laundry services and safe storage locations – expanding the amount of shelter beds in the community and addressing the root causes of homelessness: building affordable housing units in the community.

“This investment ensures our existing resources can continue operating while we get across the finish line of significantly changing our homeless response system here in Duluth. This is no longer a stepping on ups plan. This is our community’s plan, and we owe it to our neighbors in need to see it through.” Said Katie Hagglund, executive director of Union Gospel Mission, a member of Stepping On Up.

The Duluth Fire Department also shared with councilors how they’ve been responding to the issue of encampments. DFD Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj explained that at first, the response to encampments fell on the parks department, as they were on public grounds, but that department doesn’t deal with enforcement.

“That’s where we stepped in. We’re initially guiding staff on process and procedure, how to document cases, make sure we’re collecting the data, keeping track of those cases so that we can better and more efficiently manage these sorts of issues.”

DFD says that it’s responded to 97 encampment calls since January 1.

You can find out more about Stepping On Up’s resources and organization on their website.