I missed the tornado. It missed me.

The constant rumbling that I thought I heard when I was napping today wasn't my imagination. About 13 miles away, in North Minneapolis, 100+ homes are damaged, 30+ people are injured and one is dead from tornado winds.

"North Minneapolis", also known as "Near North" is not to be confused with "Northeast" Minneapolis, or "Camden," the furthest north. North Minneapolis has a prostitution, poverty, drugs and violent crimes in greater quantities than almost anywhere in the city.

More than 100 years ago, Washington Avenue was one of the only places Jews were "allowed" to live in anti-semetic Minneapolis. Folks moved to the western suburbs when they could, or to St. Paul, where Judaism was better tolerated. In the 1950's as transportation changed and interstates were built, more and more people moved to the suburbs for big houses and green lawns. White flight and aging homes brought real estate prices down. In the last 20 years, 'slum lords' bought apartment buildings and the big, turn-of-the-century homes, renting places on the cheap, but failing to keep the properties livable. People who had to, stayed. Businesses closed. The main shopping corridor dissolved. Dropping property tax values and the increase of absent landlords just continued to make things worse and crime has gone out of control.

The City has installed "ShotSpotter" to help the police determine where gunshots have been fired and get there before a 911 call. In the really bad areas, they've installed cameras. In 2009, an article was written that pointed out that the foreclosure crisis was actually helping North Minneapolis. As homes were foreclosed, the City and other organizations flattened and removed problem houses. Some buildings were rehabilitated, but not many could be saved due to their poor condition.  Driving through this part of town you can see big stretches of grass on city blocks with few houses. The worst areas have become quiet and green.

What remains, are homes people have been working hard to keep. Families that have lived North are trying to keep the infrastructure local. There has been a big effort to keep North High School open even though attendance and graduation rates are low and crime is still a daily problem.

[see also: Pastor suspected in shooting death of Minneapolis' North High staffer]

The tornado completely destroyed some people's homes. It struck late afternoon, but had been sunny and unexpected. Thankfully, the warning sirens saved a lot of people and they rode out the storm in their basements. The mayor ushered people from a rally to shelter when the sirens started. Some homes have roof damage and the floors below lost their ceilings or have other serious water damage - standing, but unlivable.  But not everyone was home and they had a terrible time getting back to see about their homes and their families.

Streets in the whole area are blocked by trees and fall out. According to the news, getting around this area is very dangerous even by foot. There is no electricity in the homes or for streetlights at night. There is debris scattered everywhere. There are also downed power lines and potential gas leaks.

The police department decided to impose a curfew for the neighborhood. Barriers prevent road traffic. Police have saturated the area. No one is allowed in from 9pm to 6am, and then they will only be allowed in if they can prove they live in the area.

It's not just the debris that make the streets dangerous. People's belongings are scattered everywhere and houses that may still be intact have broken windows letting the outside in. Looting and other violence are a major concern.

Renter of a single room. She was in the shower when the
tornado hit and had to borrow the clothes she's wearing.

 I don't condone looting, but I do understand it. Poverty is a big problem in this area. Desperate just got worse. It's near the end of the month, so cash can be low until the first and food stamp funds don't come in until the 7th. Many poor folk don't use banks, so the cash is kept at home. With no renter/car/health insurance, anything that's damaged is going to cost money to fix. If you rent a room or an apartment the landlord hasn't declared to the tax people as an apartment, their insurance (if they have any) will not help you. Bus routes will change, but how do you know where they are now? What about work clothes or school clothes? Will the place you live need to be closed for repair and you've got to live somewhere else? How far away are you willing to relocate? How many friends and family can sleep in your place while they wait things out? Fear? Anger? What do you do with those? You'd be surprised at how much living poor in the city is like living in the jungle. If you've done it for any amount of time, you know that once you lose your resources, things get bad fast. Add others trying to get the same resources and you might have war.

Ambulances made their way in and centralized emergency care. The Red Cross brought in emergency response trucks. Police directed traffic, closed the dangerous roads and brought their ATVs and automatic weapons.

The people are generally safe from each other. The "stuff" is kind of safe. (Pray for no more rain). But the people may not be safe to survive. 

The community is going to have to pitch with clean up, food, housing and funds. I hope they will, but I'm worried they will be afraid to go into that neighborhood and be afraid of the people who live there. We don't love our poor the way we could.

Be brave together. Nurture hope.
Love each other. Help children feel safe. 
amen

Photos are from Startribune.com and MPR.org

Photo Credits: David Brewster, Kyndell Harkness, Jerry Holt, Marlin Levison, Tony Webster