By Briana Bierschbach

MPR News/90.1

Gov. Tim Walz’s administration has joined forces with foundations and business leaders to increase the number of beds in shelters across the state as temperatures drop.

Walz announced the Minnesota Winter Homeless Initiative Thursday at the Women’s Indian Resource Center in Minneapolis, a shelter not far from the Wall of Forgotten Natives, a homeless encampment that was shuttered last year.

The initiative includes nearly $5 million immediately to add roughly 150 beds in shelters across the state, including 25 to 30 at the Women’s Indian Resource Center. Beds will also be added to churches in Washington County, a shelter in Ramsey County and in rented homes and apartments in northern Minnesota.

The governor’s office started contacting businesses two and a half weeks ago to raise  money and said he was impressed at how quickly things came together. Donations came in from the Metropolitan Council, family foundations, and businesses like Ecolab, Securian, Anderson Corporation and Wells Fargo.

“And I want you to understand what we’re talking about here is not theoretical, not a dream, these are happening next week,” Walz said. “These are happening right now.”

The initiative is ongoing and the problem is growing. The state estimates there are as many as 1,600 people sleeping outside in Minnesota on a given night, including 300 children and youth.

The numbers have doubled since 2015.

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said long-term, the state needs to invest more in affordable housing in order to address more systemic homelessness.

“Housing is out of reach for far too many, and we must fix that. Housing ends homelessness,” she said. “Until we fix housing for all Minnesotans, we must also find safe places for them to be.”