The city is taking a two-pronged approach to helping migrants as the temperatures plunge, like they did Sunday into Monday: short-term and longer-term.
The community concerns centered on how this might affect the plans for an affordable housing development on that very site, where construction was set to begin next year.Residents concerned about plans to turn Brighton Park lot into migrant 'base camp' "We need more than the warming buses, but we need to take everything we could get, right? You've got folks out in front of the police stations, like in literal small tents, so not anything insulated, not a lot of warmth. So I think, I think right now the conversations among who has units for folks to sleep in buildings, anything at all, would be helpful. So the warming buses are definitely welcome," 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said.
"The 21st Ward will not tolerate the prioritization of a crisis over our needs and voices! Here is what I'm demanding from this administration. We need a full commitment to break ground on the Morgan Park Commons housing development in 2024 at the same site of the proposed shelter. I am also demanding support to complete the Beverly Ridge housing development and the capital improvements required at Julian High School and investments in the beautification of our ward.