Neighbors say violence, drug use persist at Chicago homeless encampments despite complaints
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Violence and drug use on main pedestrian walkways are among the concerns that continue, following a shooting near the West Loop homeless encampments that both residents and aldermen have been trying to address with the city for a while now.
People who live and work nearby say they have serious safety concerns, and also say they have been sounding the alarm for months - but nothing changes.
CBS 2 took a closer look.
People who live, work, or commute by the viaducts beneath the Metra tracks that run between Clinton and Canal streets toward the Ogilvie Transportation Center. The viaducts carry Kinzie, Fulton, and Lake streets and a disjointed block of Milwaukee Avenue under the tracks.
On Lake and Fulton streets off Clinton Street shared pictures with us – showing police response, needles on the ground and the sidewalk, and char marks from open flames.
"It has now converted from a homeless encampment to now an open drug market," said concerned worker Dave Gelfand.
"Right now, it's not safe," said concerned resident Louise Perrin.
The sights in the pictures are examples of why both Perrin and Gelfand say they have been sounding the alarm on these encampments for months.
They say the pictures don't capture everything.
"The violence has picked up quite a bit," said Gelfand.
"People are really, really concerned," said Perrin.
CBS 2 has reported on these concerns before. Data show there have been at least six drug-related arrests in the encampments over the past six months.
Aggravated assaults and batteries have been reported in the encampments, but more thefts have been reported than any other crime.
There was also a shooting in the encampments just this week. In the viaduct under Kinzie Street,a 42-year-old man was shot in the leg after a fight at 9:29 a.m. Monday.
He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.
In December, the area of the encampments was the scene of a fatal shooting – near Clinton Street and Washington Boulevard just steps from the Ogilvie Transportation Center. A 59-year-old man was killed.
Aldermen said at that time that the shooting was connected to a drug deal gone bad.
"The more drugs that come into the area, the more violence comes with it," Gelfand said.
Two aldermen have been calling for city intervention at the encampments for months.
"I have a paper trail about a mile high on this very specific issue, requesting help," Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said in December.
"People have not taken the option for rapid rehousing for many months," said Ald. Bill Conway (34th) in December. "However, if you don't have the overt drug dealing, people would be much far more encouraged to accept rapid rehousing - as well as accept treatment."
At one point, tents were cleared out so the city could power wash. People here offered alternative housing - but the tents were back up immediately.
"Every single week, they knock on every tent. They offer them housing," said Gelfand, "and they all refuse housing."
"This is not an us-versus-them issue," said Perrin.
The hope is that after repeated calls for help, intervention happens at the encampment before the situation gets worse.
"We all need to come together to find some solution," said Perrin.
Meanwhile, Gelfand expressed disappointment with the Mayor's office on the issue.
"The roadblock seems to be the Mayor's office. The mayor says he campaigned on helping the homeless. That was one of his campaign promises. We are advocates of that. We think the homeless should be helped. We are not heartless. We understand," said Gelfand. "But these are not homeless people. These are drug addicts. And they need more help than dropping a meal off from the ministry."
He called for enforcement of the city's public right-of-way laws.
Ald. Conway issued a new statement Wednesday:
"The continued violent crime connected to the River West viaducts is unacceptable, which is why I've been working with Chicago Police to address illegal activity, and with Streets and Sanitation and [the Department of Family and Support Services] to remove abandoned tents and provide services and rehousing options to individuals living there. The situation has improved, but I will continue requesting support in this area from the Mayor's Office until it is safe for everyone."
CBS 2 reached out to Mayor Brandon Johnson's office with all the concerns we heard. There had not been a response as of early Wednesday evening.
