St. Paul workers clear Pig's Eye Park encampment
St. Paul's Pig's Eye encampment cleared out
City officials and law enforcement cleared out the Pig's Eye encampment Wednesday. FOX 9's Emily Pofahl has more.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul workers began clearing a homeless encampment at Pig's Eye Park on Wednesday despite public pushback over the sweep.
The city announced on Wednesday evening that the permanent closure was completed "with no arrests or enforcement efforts during the operational period."
Encampment clearing
What we know:
The city started work to clear the encampment beginning around 8 a.m. Outreach teams are on site working to help individuals sort and pack their belongings.
For those who need it, the city says it will provide limited storage, with priority for those who accept shelter.
St. Paul clears Pig's Eye homeless encampment
St. Paul city workers are clearing the homeless encampment at Pig's Eye Park. FOX 9's Emily Pofahl has the latest details.
The city said they estimated there were about 140 people living at the encampment. However, a "population" sign erected at the encampment claims the true number is more than 250 people.
At a Wednesday afternoon news conference, St. Paul Assistant Mayor Cedrick Baker said that a lot of people had left, but about 20-30 still remained.
"Our process is to really go slow and steady. We want to respect and make sure there is a strong level of dignity for the individuals at the encampment. Ultimately our goal is to support these individuals with greater stability and being indoors. Right now our main focus is to help them move their belongings. We want to work with our community," Baker said.
Timeline:
Over the course of Wednesday morning, FOX 9 crews saw dozens of encampment residents leaving ahead of the clearing. As of about 8 a.m., city officials estimated there were still about 40 people left in the encampment.
Around 8 a.m., a city spokesperson told reporters that workers would try to avoid a heavy-handed approach. Officials said they would not use frontloaders and instead would try to work with residents one on one. But, within ten minutes, FOX 9 crews saw a couple of skid-steer Bobcat front loaders going in the rear side of the camp.
People at the encampment reportedly have until the end of the day to leave. Baker did not say if there will be a law enforcement presence if people remain.
"We got here because we wanted to make sure we responded to a public safety issue. That encampment, there is a level of issues and situations going on out there that we had to deal with, we had to close the encampment. We have to work together to solve this," Baker said.
St. Paul begins clearing Pig's Eye Park encampment
St. Paul crews began clearing a homeless encampment at Pig's Eye Park as city outreach teams tried to speak with people living there.
Just before 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the city shared a news release announcing the completion of the permanent encampment closure.
City officials said the closure is permanent and the
What they're saying:
Mayor Her shared a video on her social media as well as the following statement after the closure:
"Today was possible because City staff, service providers, and community volunteers working together to keep safety, wellbeing, and dignity at the center of our decision making. I’m pleased that many individuals were able to meet with our outreach teams and that it was done with patience and trust. I’m also grateful to the community for your continued compassion. Every person was offered shelter and resources. Our commitment to health and safety continue well beyond today."
Assistant Mayor Cedrick Baker shared this statement:
""Mayor Her has been clear from the beginning that all of our decisions and actions focus on care and safety. There were no arrests and no one was transported away for a medical emergency. The key was respectful conversations and pulling back when emotions got high. We understand, planned, and trained for that. I thank all the City staff and outreach volunteers for their partnership. Today isn’t the end of these relationships, and we will work together to continue finding long-term solutions to homelessness."
What's next:
City workers say they will continue to work with residents to help them pack their belongings and get access to resources.
Following the closure, Ramsey County plans to open a transitional hub at 11th and Cedar.
The Pig's Eye Park clearing was expected to be the first of a series of encampment clearings.
Baker said the people that are accepting indoor shelter are heading to Catholic Charities, Model Cities and the Union Gospel Mission. Baker said there is space for anyone who wants it.
Clearing pushback
Outreach volunteer reflects on Pig’s Eye encampment closure
As the City of St. Paul closes the Pig’s Eye encampment, volunteer Katie Poferl shares her perspective on what the closure means for residents, the challenges ahead for those being displaced and what she hopes comes next for the community.
The other side:
Faith leaders and even some elected officials pressed St. Paul city leaders for a pause to the clearing, saying a delay would give time to expand shelter capacity and get encampment residents identifications and cell phones. Faith leaders said they were worried about losing track of people who need help.
Wednesday morning, activists were rallying as city workers moved to clear the encampment.
St. Paul clears Pig's Eye homeless encampment
St. Paul city workers are clearing the homeless encampment at Pig's Eye Park. FOX 9's Emily Pofahl has the latest details.
Dig deeper:
FOX 9 attempted to speak with Mayor Kaohly Her on Tuesday about the public pushback over the planned clearing, but she has not responded.
The backstory:
The City of St. Paul first announced plans to clear the encampment on July 8. Officials cited ongoing safety concerns at Pig's Eye Park and other encampments.
Officials cited more than 850 calls for service between July 2025 and July 2026 across the encampment, including reports of sexual violence, fires, overdoses, deaths, and other emergencies that officials said threatened residents and surrounding communities. Officials said there was a fire or medical call to one of the city's three major encampments every three or four days.
The city said they chose to clear the encampments now to not expose the residents to dangers that might come during colder months.
Local perspective:
Pig's Eye Park is located east of downtown St. Paul across from the downtown airport and south of the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood.
The Source: This story uses information gathered by FOX 9 reporters and statements shared by the City of St. Paul.