Overview
- City crews, police and Park District staff removed every tent at the North Side site on March 17 during a cold snap as more than 30 advocates protested.
- DFSS says 16 residents have selected apartments and two are working with providers, but none have moved in, and only one person accepted an interim shelter placement.
- Officials pointed to repeated fires, including a November tent blaze and another last month that destroyed several tents, and neighbors cited the park’s narrow strip next to homes as a safety risk.
- Advocates from Parks for All and allied groups proposed setbacks, fire safety education, extinguishers and a communal cooking area, but the city declined the plan.
- Outreach workers warn the sweep could disrupt pending housing moves and lead to lost documents, noting a citywide shortage of more than 126,000 affordable units and available apartments largely on the South and West sides.