CHICAGO – With temperatures dropping, Chicago’s City Hall is intensifying efforts to relocate thousands of migrants from police stations to shelters. The iconic Marina City in River North is under consideration as a potential migrant shelter, and plans for a winterized encampment are advancing.
As Chicagoans who are accustomed to the cold bundled up on a chilly Monday, it’s important to remember that many new arrivals will be experiencing their first winter in the city.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has introduced warming buses at the migrant bus landing zone near Clinton and Vernon Park Place, as well as at 16 police districts throughout the city. However, there is a growing need for long-term solutions to address this issue.
“This is an emergency response; we have minors in police stations and on the streets,” explained Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who represents the 25th Ward.
On Monday morning, the Committee on Housing and Real Estate, chaired by Alderman Sigcho-Lopez, approved the city’s plan to acquire land at the corner of 115th and Halsted.
The former Jewel parking lot could potentially become a migrant base camp, constructed by GardaWorld Federal Services, although South Side community members are expressing concerns and resistance.
Alderman Sigcho-Lopez empathized with the frustration and anger in the community, acknowledging that Chicago’s South Side and West Side have been neglected for generations. He stressed that the migrant issue would not be a problem with better coordination.
Among the concerns raised by neighbors is the fear that a planned mixed-use housing development, known as the Morgan Park Commons, might be delayed or even canceled due to the encampment.
“We hope this will be a temporary use so that we can save lives,” Alderman Sigcho-Lopez emphasized.
The Morgan Park Commons project holds the promise of creating hundreds of jobs and offering ample housing opportunities for residents.
The Far South Side Community Development Corporation, which oversees the Morgan Park Commons project, has received assurances from the city that construction will proceed as planned next year, even if the site temporarily serves as a migrant encampment.
Abraham D. Lacy, President of the Far South Community Development Corporation, stated, “We are still on schedule for a groundbreaking in Fall 2024, delivering on our plans to provide affordable housing, retail and entertainment, and new park space—revitalizing the corner of 115th and Halsted into a community anchor for generations to come.”
This Wednesday, the full City Council will vote on the purchase of the encampment site.
Alderman Sigcho-Lopez is renewing his call for support from the federal government, emphasizing that it’s unfair to burden already struggling communities. He urges the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate efforts not only with the state of Illinois but with other states as well.
If approved, the encampment at 115th and Halsted would be the second ‘tent city’ in development, with the first located at 38th and California in Brighton Park. The city is still evaluating the feasibility of the Brighton Park site.
Simultaneously, the city is exploring the possibility of converting Hotel Chicago within the Marina City towers into migrant housing, potentially accommodating over 1,000 migrants. However, 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly has expressed vehement opposition to this plan. In an E-letter, he argued that it “defies logic” and questioned its proximity to a problematic CTA Red Line stop and the temporary Bally’s Casino. Alderman Reilly also voiced concerns about the approval process.
As of October 30, 2023, the City of Chicago has received over 19,800 new arrivals since August 2022. Nearly 12,000 migrants are currently housed in city shelters, while over 3,300 others are awaiting placement, with most of them temporarily staying in police districts across the city.