MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Open-Air Drug Market Near South Minneapolis Child Care Center Raises Safety Concerns as City Increases Enforcement

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 25, 2026) Employees and administrators at a south Minneapolis child care center are calling for sustained action after weeks of escalating drug activity near their facility raised concerns about the safety of children, families and staff.

Leaders at Baby's Space, an early childhood education and family support center that has served the Phillips neighborhood for more than 25 years, say an open-air drug market operating beneath the Cedar Avenue and Highway 55 overpass has increasingly spilled into the surrounding area over the past month, disrupting daily operations and limiting children's ability to safely use the playground.

The child care center sits just blocks from the encampment and the area where residents and business owners have reported persistent drug activity, public drug use and frequent gatherings.

Staff members say conditions have deteriorated to the point that employees have had to confront individuals using drugs immediately outside the center's entrance.

"The encampment was moving and then the cops would clear it out, and they'd wait a few hours and they were right back," said Yolanda Reyes, an administrative assistant at Baby's Space.

Reyes said what was once largely confined to the nearby overpass has become increasingly visible around the child care facility itself.

"Open use, just freely using their drugs. I had to go out the front door and say, 'Hey, this is a child care center,'" she said.

For Baby's Space, the issue extends beyond what children may witness. Staff say they have become increasingly concerned about the possibility of children encountering drug paraphernalia or other hazardous materials while playing outdoors.

"It's hard for us to play outside because we're not sure what the kids are going to be exposed to," said Debbie Lund, executive director of Baby's Space.

Lund said the Minneapolis Police Department has recently stationed officers near the playground, providing an added layer of reassurance for staff while children are outside.

The situation illustrates the complex intersection of public safety, homelessness, substance use disorders and neighborhood livability that Minneapolis and many other major cities continue to confront. While city officials have expanded outreach efforts to connect unsheltered individuals with housing and supportive services, neighborhoods surrounding persistent encampments have also experienced concerns about criminal activity, public health and safety.

In an effort to discourage people from gathering beneath the overpass, fencing was recently installed around portions of the area. Employees, however, said the barriers proved largely ineffective. Openings in the fencing allowed people to continue congregating along the sidewalk, and visible drug activity continued nearby.

The growing concerns prompted action at City Hall.

Earlier this week, Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez, whose ward includes the area, sent a letter to Mayor Jacob Frey, Public Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette, and other city leaders requesting immediate intervention and additional support for individuals living in the encampment.

Chavez called for a coordinated response that addresses both public safety concerns and the humanitarian needs of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

A spokesperson for the City of Minneapolis said the fencing is intended only as a temporary measure while city officials work with Hennepin County, Metro Transit and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to develop a longer-term strategy for the area. Because multiple public agencies own or maintain infrastructure surrounding the Cedar Avenue and Highway 55 interchange, any permanent solution requires coordination among several governmental partners.

City officials also emphasized that outreach workers continue efforts to move people from unsheltered homelessness into stable housing and connect individuals struggling with substance use disorders to available services.

Even as they voiced concern over conditions outside the center, Baby's Space leaders stressed that they do not view those living in the encampment as the enemy.

"It's so hard because our hearts go out to everybody, and yet we really need to keep our children safe," Lund said.

On Wednesday, staff noticed what they described as a significant improvement.

Much of the activity beneath the overpass had diminished, and multiple officers from the Minneapolis Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department were seen patrolling the area. During its reporting, WCCO observed one individual being taken into custody.

Lund said the increased law enforcement presence quickly changed the atmosphere around the child care center.

"We saw the police have been by twice today, which is really great, and I think it does add to the factor that we're not seeing a lot of activity," she said. "That really makes me feel happy because it feels safer. It feels like our old center."

The City of Minneapolis confirmed that enforcement efforts had recently been expanded.

"Earlier this week, the City increased enforcement, patrols, and cameras around open-air drug markets to monitor criminal activity," a city spokesperson said in a statement.

While employees welcomed the immediate reduction in activity, they cautioned that previous enforcement efforts have often resulted in temporary displacement rather than lasting solutions.

For Baby's Space, the hope is that recent actions mark the beginning of a sustained response that protects both neighborhood children and the broader community while helping those experiencing homelessness and addiction access the treatment, housing and support services they need.

"I wish luck for the people out on the streets," Reyes said. "I hope that they can get the services that will help them better their lives."

Whether the heightened enforcement represents a lasting improvement or another temporary reprieve remains to be seen. For now, staff at Baby's Space say they are encouraged that children can once again spend time outdoors with a greater sense of safety while city leaders continue searching for a long-term solution to one of Minneapolis' most persistent public safety and public health challenges.

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