MN SF5259

Commissioner of Transportation must establish policies and procedures for managing unauthorized encampments of homeless individuals on trunk highway rights-of-way that recognize dignity and ensure humane, safe, and environmentally sound treatment.

Encampment policies must include staff training requirements, site assessment methods, coordination with local government and social service organizations, outreach strategies for housing support and mental health services, and documentation procedures.

Notification to encampment occupants must be provided at least 72 hours before removal, posted at site entrances in plain language English, Spanish, and other relevant languages, and specify where personal property will be stored.

Usable personal property removed from encampments must be stored for at least 30 days in the same community, organized by individual ownership, and made accessible to claimants; weapons, stolen items, and controlled substances are excluded.

Health and welfare response activities including portable toilets, hand washing stations, and waste management must be established based on criteria such as encampment duration, population size, activity level, and geographic area.

Effective date: November 1, 2024.