In south Minneapolis, the Native American leaders of Camp Nenookaasi held a final ceremony as their rugged yurts were dismantled and their belongings were packed into a U-Haul. The camp, which had become Minneapolis' largest homeless encampment in just four months, faced eviction due to crime and development plans for the land they occupied. The city of Minneapolis granted Nenookaasi residents until Thursday to vacate the premises.

Led by camp leader Nicole Mason, volunteers assisted in the relocation process while being reminded to remain peaceful and avoid confrontation with law enforcement. Police arrived on the scene to ensure a smooth transition, assuring Mason that her people would be given sufficient time to move. Camp organizers expressed gratitude towards the police for their cooperation.

Once the land at East 23rd Street and 13th Avenue South is vacated, the city intends to sell it to the Indigenous People's Task Force, a neighboring nonprofit organization. Their plans include the construction of an art and wellness center. The closure of Camp Nenookaasi stood out due to its dedicated leadership, which provided supervision and orderliness within the encampment.

Unlike many other encampments, Nenookaasi had established leadership headed by recovery coach Nicole Mason, who had experienced homelessness at Minneapolis' previous major encampment, known as the Wall of Forgotten Natives. Although sobriety was strongly encouraged, it was acknowledged that not all residents were ready for treatment. The camp provided shelter to those who relapsed after receiving housing assistance, as well as active drug users who couldn't access sober shelters. Some residents stated that using opioids within the camp felt safer as they were surrounded by peers trained in administering naloxone, a life-saving medicine.

Despite the challenges faced by Camp Nenookaasi, its closure was accompanied by concerns about the displacement of homeless individuals and the disruption of services provided by neighboring American Indian nonprofit organizations. Portable toilets were provided to the camp, following repeated requests from organizers and city council members. The city also provided advance notice of the closure date and delayed it twice to allow for additional emergency shelter beds.

Minneapolis allocated nearly $1 million of opioid settlement funds to contract Helix Health and Housing Services for outreach to camp residents. However, specifics regarding their work and the housing arrangements for camp residents remain unclear as the organization did not respond to interview requests.

Attempts were made to relocate the camp residents to a 24/7 indoor facility, but four service providers declined due to capacity limitations. The decision faced criticism from organizations like Let Everyone Advance with Dignity, which expressed concern about the disruption of consistent services caused by encampment closures.

The closure of Camp Nenookaasi marks the ongoing challenges faced by homeless individuals, not only in Minneapolis but across the state of Minnesota. With the camp now relocated, efforts to address the homelessness crisis and provide sustained support to those in need remain a pressing priority.