Last month the Department of Family Support and Services cleared a tent city encampment off the Dan Ryan Expressway, where about 34 people had previously resided.
It came one month ahead of the Democratic National Convention coming to town. DFSS commissioner Brandie Knazze told NBC Chicago in July it was a proactive measure in case Secret Service security wanted it removed, although no one from the DNC ordered DFSS to clear the camp.
“We used to see tents and people sleeping there,” said UIC student Theresa Ezeani. “It’s cleaner, it looks cleaned up like when people are coming over to your house and you clean everything up, that’s what it looks like.”
Now, a 10-foot permanent fence lines the area, ensuring no camp resurfaces.
Gregg Fishman owns Fishman Fabrics across the street, which has been there since 1958.
“We would do what we could, we provided them with blankets and my wife and I helped them out a lot…but it was very, very sad to see,” he said.
Although he says for 10 years he’s had several issues with the encampment, and has made numerous requests through multiple administrations to clean it up.
“I know it’s been through three mayors and several aldermen,” he said. “A lot of crime, a lot of drugs, a lot of vandalism on my property, and we voiced our complaints several times to get things done.”
While he’s pleased with the change now, he wishes it could have been done sooner.
“It’s a little bit of a funny thing that when it was a problem for me it wasn’t really a problem, but it was a problem for the DNC,” he said. “Regardless of the politics to get it done I’m ok with it.”
DFSS relocated nearly 30 people to the former Tremont Hotel, now a shelter, in the Near North Side. Funding for that was supposed to end August 31. DFSS spokespeople say operations will officially end there on Sept. 15.
DFSS spokespeople told NBC 5 Wednesday:
“Accelerated Moving Events were held for encampment residents on July 23, July 24, and August 15. Thirty-one of 34 residents from Roosevelt and DesPlaines are in process of moving to housing through these events and other housing connections, which includes signing their lease, picking up their keys, and getting furniture delivered.”
Their statement went on to say many residents are on track to move into their housing units before operations cease at Tremont.
“For residents who are still waiting on their housing move-in date, DFSS and the Tremont shelter staff are supporting them in finding another shelter placement where they will continue to work on their transition to housing,” they said.
DFSS also says it was part of a greater effort to clean out encampments across the city and move residents into permanent housing.