375 migrants into Hyde Park hotel amid complaints from neighbors
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Friday was move-in day for 375 migrants finding a new home at a Hyde Park hotel.
It is a controversial move in the community, after hundreds of neighbors packed a meeting earlier this week to raise concerns about the new shelter.
CBS 2 investigator Megan Hickey heard from neighbors who said little has been done to address their frustrations.
The city revealed earlier this week that some migrants have been living in the Chicago Lake Shore Hotel, at 4900B S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., since the spring. Now they're occupying the whole building.
Dozens of migrants were dropped off in front of the hotel on Friday, most with just a backpack or a garbage bag worth of belongings. It was a day some neighbors knew would come – and some are still not comfortable with the idea.
"This is our home. This is my community. I've been here for 50 years. So I'm very upset," said Doris Lewis, who lives across the street.
Sharon Brown has lived across the street for 22 years. She and other neighbors say they knew very little about the plan to bring in migrants.
"We're trying to build the neighborhood up not tear it down," Brown said. "We would like to know when people are moving into our neighborhood, because we work hard to live here."
The city said currently, about 6,500 migrants are staying at 16 city-run shelters. The goal is to get migrants, who are continuing to arrive in Chicago, out of the police station lobbies.
But the agreement made with the owners of the Chicago Lake Shore Hotel did not sit well with the hundreds of residents who packed a community meeting on Wednesday.
The loudest argument came from those who see an inequity in the level of services being provided to these brand-new neighbors and the impoverished communities that existed here before they arrived.
"You've got people on Lake Shore Drive in the park sleeping on tents," said Tom Jacks, who also lives across the street from the hotel. "What about them?"
"But it's not right to displace a group of people who've been here who can't get benefits – and to give them benefits," said Tony R. Brown, pastor of the South Shore Community Church. "I think that's totally wrong.:
The city said the hotel was chosen because they specifically need shelters where 250 or more migrants can be housed together. Neighbors said they will be watching carefully for any issues that might arise.
We have asked the city how long the migrants will be staying in the new shelter. So far, we haven't been given a specific timeframe.ns.