A real estate developer has allowed dozens of people to stay on an empty lot that he owns in the Longfellow neighborhood, racking up at least $15,000 in fines for public health citations.

But unless he’s presented with a court order, Hamoudi Sabri said there’s nothing the city can do to make him close off his property from people who need a place to sleep.

On Monday, the Minneapolis City Council voted 6-4 to authorize legal action against Sabri. They took up the vote after Mayor Jacob Frey called a special session for the council to discuss the potential lawsuit.

The lawsuit is anticipated to be filed later this week, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office said.

In a statement after the vote, Frey said he appreciated the council’s “partnership on the matter.”

“True compassion means saf

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