Alderman asks ward residents to support his plan to move homeless from Uptown camp

A homeless encampment in Uptown in recent weeks. Photo credit WBBM Newsradio

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — After another fire this week in a homeless encampment in the Lawrence Avenue viaduct under DuSable Lake Shore Drive, an alderman is urging residents of his ward to help him convince Mayor Lightfoot to adopt his plan to move the homeless out.

Ald. James Cappelman (46th) wants to follow a community-based approach that has worked in other cities to convince people living in similar homeless encampments to move to shelters or affordable housing.

Cappelman said the city has rejected the plan.

While no one was hurt in Monday's fire, Cappelman says it's clear the danger from the fire risk at the encampments threatens more than the homeless living there.

“This has now gone beyond the point of just focusing on some concerns of some activists and some people experiencing homelessness. We have to also look at the safety of the surrounding community and those driving over DuSable Lake Shore Drive.”

He s urging constituents to call and email Mayor Lightfoot's office to urge her to consider his plan.