CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Two days before the City of Chicago plans to remove a homeless encampment in Humboldt Park, advocates for the people living there are calling for the mayor and local alderman to scrap it.
Ryan Spangler with the anti-poverty group Heartland Alliance Health said shutting down the encampment would break up the community here.
“You’re also shutting down a place where service providers, like me, can locate people to connect them to housing and other life-sustaining services,” Spangler said.
One of the largest barriers to housing people is not being able to find them once a rare housing opportunity becomes available.”
Jose Miranda used to live in the West Side park during the six years he was homeless. He now lives in an apartment thanks to a rapid rehousing program coordinated with the group All Chicago.
Miranda said many of the people living in the park don’t want to move to a large shelter in Pilsen because of mental health issues or a lack of trust.
“They’re going to be uncomfortable around someone they don’t know,” Miranda said. “Out here…There’s no rules. They’re going to have to adjust to a protocol. They’re going to have to fall in line to times, then look, all their stuff- what are they going to do with it?”
Licensed clinical social worker Isabella Mancini said sleeping in close quarters can be triggering for people not used to living with rules or other people.
“Right now, the City of Chicago is expecting these residents to take whatever they are given or risk violent displacement, up to and including arrest. This is inexcusable,” Mancini said.
Outreach worker Lauren Phillips said evictions could mean people would lose the gear that helps them survive the cold and the community they lean on for help watching belongings, protecting them and providing them with jobs or electricity to charge cell phones.
Chief of staff to 26th Ward Ald. Jessie Fuentes told WBBM the move is slated to start at 9 a.m. Friday, and not all of the tents that remain here are occupied.
Juanita Garcia said less than 50 tents remain in the park after months of work to move people into apartments or shelters.
Homeless advocates believe the answer is more mental health services and permanent housing.
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