Minnesota’s unsheltered homeless population—those who have spent a night outside, in a car, in a vacant building, or on public transportation—has increased by 10% over the past decade.
According to Wilder Foundation Researcher Rebecca Sales, Native Americans are disproportionately represented in this statistic. While they make up only 2% of the overall population, they account for 20% of the total homeless population and 32% of the unsheltered homeless. Sales emphasizes that Native Americans have “experienced intergenerational trauma and policies that were intended to dismantle culture, sovereignty, and prosperity.” She urges consideration of how services can be designed to actively counteract some of these historical issues.
This study is based on client information from The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), compiled from federal and state-funded emergency shelters and supportive housing programs.
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