St. Paul residents raise health and safety concerns over homeless camp

St. Paul Apartment Residents Raise Health and Safety Concerns Over Growing Homeless Encampment

Residents living at the Waterford Bay Apartments in St. Paul, Minnesota, are grappling with mounting health and safety concerns as a homeless encampment directly adjacent to their building continues to expand. The site grew significantly following an August sweep by city crews at nearby Pig’s Eye Park, which pushed numerous campers who declined shelter offers toward the intersection of Shepard Road and Randolph Avenue.

Dave Zerwas, a resident of the complex for over four years whose unit overlooks the camp, reported persistent issues with smoke drifting into his home from encampment fires. “Burnt plastic basically getting piped into your apartment; it’s bad,” Zerwas told WCCO. He noted that the situation escalated to the point where he had medics at his apartment the previous week.

St. Paul apartment residents on nearby encampment: "It's really not safe"

The environmental impact inside the building has prompted mitigation measures. Oliver Heskin, another resident at Waterford Bay, purchased two air purifiers to combat the worsening air quality and showed local reporters videos of industrial air purifiers set up in the complex’s hallways.

Crime Concerns and Daily Disruptions

Beyond air quality issues, residents face daily security challenges, including documented drug use and vehicle damage in the immediate area. Dani Anderson moved into the Waterford Bay Apartments in August right as the encampment boomed, stating she would have bypassed the lease entirely had she known about the situation.

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“I stopped biking because I am afraid of going and something happening,” Anderson said, adding that she no longer walks her dog down the street and constantly worries about her car being broken into.

In response to mounting neighborhood pressure, the St. Paul City Council voted last week to implement a 60-day pause for outreach before clearing camps, alongside plans to open temporary and permanent shelter sites. However, residents remain skeptical about the timeline. Zerwas expressed frustration with municipal bureaucracy, stating he doubts the camp will be cleared in January as projected by officials.

Official Response and Next Steps

A spokesperson for Mayor Kaohly Her stated that the administration plans to move forward with clearing the encampment, though no specific timeline was provided. “We continue to plan for the coordinated transition of the encampments at Randolph and l’Orient, with outreach teams connecting each individual at the encampment to shelter, housing, and services,” the spokesperson said.

As municipal agencies work through their outreach window, residents are altering their living arrangements. Zerwas is relocating to a different unit on the opposite side of the complex to distance himself from the smoke, while Anderson hopes to leave the building entirely despite facing a steep price tag. WCCO reached out to Waterford Bay Apartments for comment but has not yet received a response.

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