(Saint Paul, MN – Monday, May 20) – After months of searching, locating, and planning for a new site appropriate for emergency shelter services, today Model Cities and Ramsey County were informed that Luther Seminary has rescinded their offer to lease part of their campus to Safe Space Shelter. Consequently, the community town hall scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21 has been canceled.
Discussions began with Luther Seminary as part of the phased closure of the Ramsey County Government Center East which is set to conclude at the end of 2024.
Safe Space Shelter is a referral-based shelter operating year-round 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. This decision comes at a time when the county and the Twin Cities community is experiencing an emergency shelter crisis. The need for dignified, safe shelter continues to grow, and Model Cities and Ramsey County are committed to finding solutions, recognizing that anyone at any time could find themselves in need of shelter support.
Model Cities was looking forward to the opportunity to discuss the services provided by Safe Space Shelter, how these services are similar/different from the previous shelter operated in this same location during the COVID-19 pandemic, and answering all concerned community members’ questions. Unfortunately, the decision was made to not move forward with this opportunity.
Model Cities and Ramsey County are now immediately seeking an alternative location and encourage the community and partners with ideas about appropriate sites to serve people in crisis to reach out to Commissioner Trista Martinson’s office or the Housing Stability department. We will provide updates and additional information as we work to secure a new location for Safe Space Shelter in the coming months.
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for an idea of the space and shelter we are looking to provide.
