As number of migrants in Chicago shelters decline, officials prepare for future arrivals
CHICAGO (CBS) – The number of people living in Chicago's migrant shelters is at one of its lowest points since new arrivals first began to arrive in the city.
The City of Chicago closed its temporary migrant shelter at Daley College this week as the state opened a new location near Midway Airport.
The newest location, a hotel, has been turned into a state-run migrant shelter. No one is allowed in or out without an escort by security. The hotel can fit 950 people, though it was not clear as of this week how many were living there.
Chicago officials said they're preparing for a possible "sudden increase" of new arrivals.
As of this week, there were only about 5,800 people living in one of the city and state's 17 shelter locations.
At peak capacity on Jan. 12, 2024, there were nearly 15,000 being housed at 28 locations by the city and state.
About one month ago, the city was operating at half capacity at its remaining shelter locations. Officials said they wanted to leave space for new arrivals who might be bussed to Chicago during the National Democratic Convention next month.
"There is a small drop in the numbers of people coming to Chicago, but definitely we want to make sure we have beds available in case of a surge ahead of the DNC," said Johannes Favi, the deputy director of the Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants.
Favi also serves as a member of the city's "New Arrivals Cabinet." He said the cabinet is intended to help Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration "see things from an immigrant perspective."
"It's important to bring an immigrant at the center of the table," he said.
Favi explained how Chicago plans to repurpose at least some of the infrastructure it created to respond to the migrant crisis. Officials have said they intend to use the existing shelter system to also support an overall anti-homelessness mission.
"We really want to ensure that homeless people in general, not only the new arrivals, get access to mental health, get access to support that they deserve," said Favi.
In the short term, the state is making more space available, nearly delivering on the promise officials made in November to provide 2,000 additional beds to the city. The state is opening the hotel location near Midway and another in Hyde Park that can house up to 750 people.
"You don't want people to live in the shelter, you want people to have access to stable housing and the shelter should not be the place for people to live indefinitely," Favi said.
City officials did not know any specific details about the number of people they expect to arrive when the DNC happens. They've said there hasn't been any communication from the state of Texas, where several buses carrying migrants originated.