Duluth City Council Discusses Needs of Unhoused Population

The Duluth City Council has turned their attention to the needs of the unhoused population after passing controversial ordinance changes.

The zoning ordinance changes were made in late July and banned outdoor camping on City property. The original proposal would have made a violation of the ordinance worthy of a misdemeanor, but was later amended to be worthy of a fine after community pushback. Critics of the proposal said the ordinance changes would essentially criminalize homelessness, but City officials said they would not be enforced if there was no available shelter space.

The changes were also made with the backdrop of the Duluth City Hall encampment. The encampment originally began for residents who were protesting the ongoing conflict in Gaza, but later grew to include members of the unhoused population. The encampment was cleared by the City about one week after the new zoning ordinances were approved.

With the camping ban in place, the Duluth City Council is now looking to address the needs of the area’s unhoused population. According to a Northern News Now report, officials have been meeting with emergency shelter organizers to discuss ways they can support the unhoused population.

Stepping On Up, an organization comprised of 12 emergency shelters in Duluth, shared their ideas for what the City could do to address the issues. The organization reportedly advised city officials to focus on disaster response, expanding the number of shelter beds in the area, and creating more housing. They also told city officials that they need over $8 million in funding to support their operation next year, and currently have less than $2 million to do it.

Duluth officials say with a better understanding of what is needed for the area’s unhoused population, they will now turn their attention to nonprofit, state and federal partners to assist.