Chicago to remove Gompers Park homeless encampment as residents call for long-term solutions
The Brief
Chicago plans to remove a homeless encampment on the Northwest Side by March 5, with officials emphasizing that the relocation will be handled with care.
Residents have been pushing for an Accelerated Moving Event (AME) due to ongoing safety concerns, including fires, dog attacks, and drug paraphernalia.
Community leaders want a commitment from the city to enforce park rules after the encampment is cleared to prevent future settlements.
CHICAGO - The city of Chicago plans to remove a homeless encampment on the Northwest Side in two weeks, with the relocation scheduled for March 5.
Rumors circulated Wednesday that city crews had already started taking down tents, but officials clarified that only litter and abandoned items were removed as part of a routine monthly cleanup.
39th Ward Alderwoman Samantha Nugent assured that occupied tents were left untouched.
The backstory
Residents have been calling for an Accelerated Moving Event (AME), a program that speeds up the process of placing unhoused individuals into shelters.
Neighbors cite ongoing concerns, including fires, dog attacks, and drug paraphernalia found in the area.
Members of the Gompers Park Athletic Association and the Restore Gompers Park Coalition urged city leaders to enforce park rules once the relocation takes place.
They asked Mayor Brandon Johnson for a commitment to prevent future encampments from forming in the park.
What they're saying
Nugent's office has stressed that the relocation should be handled with care and sensitivity to the encampment members.
"Once the unhoused accept the housing and help being offered to them via this AME, the residents expect the same, equitable enforcement of existing park ordinances just like you provided, Mayor Johnson, to Humboldt and Touhy parks after their AMEs. This is not about criminalizing homelessness, it is criminal to keep people in tents inside parks without any means to support basic human needs in 6 degree weather," said Nicole Foster, member of the Restore Gomphers Park Coalition.
What's next
The city remains on track to move forward with the March 5 relocation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist flown to hospital after crash involving farm equipment
A motorcyclist was flown to an area hospital after a crash in Shelby County Monday afternoon, according to Fort Loramie Police Sergeant Brandon Johnson. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The crash happened on State Route 362, just east of Fort Loramie, around 3:23 p.m. TRENDING STORIES: Neighborhood on edge after 2 bodies found on same street days apart Body found in trunk of burning car in Dayton; homicide investigation launched Kettering Health provides update on cyberattack; Internal health records back online Johnson said the crash happened when the motorcyclist tried to make a 'legal pass' around farm equipment on the roadway. The farm equipment operator made a left-hand turn and hit the motorcycle. CareFlight responded to the scene and took the motorcyclist to an area hospital. The motorcyclist's current condition is unknown. Video from the scene shows the motorcycle underneath a large tire. News Center 7 will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Yahoo
Chicago alderman slams mayor's hiring practices as 'giant leap in the wrong direction' amid DOJ probe
A Chicago alderman says the city is taking a "giant leap in the wrong direction" after the Department of Justice announced it is investigating Mayor Brandon Johnson's hiring practices. During a May 18 service at the Apostolic Church of God, Johnson responded to people who claimed he only talked about hiring Black people. "No, what I'm saying is, when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet," he said. "I'm laying that out because when you ask, 'How do we ensure that our people get a chance to grow their business,' having people in my administration that will look out for the interests of everyone, and everyone means you have to look out for the interests of Black folks." Johnson mentioned top officials who serve in his administration and emphasized their race. One example included his deputy mayor of business and economic development, a Black woman. Doj Launches Investigation Into Blue State City Over Alleged Race-based Hiring After his remarks, Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, notified Johnson his administration is being investigated to see if it utilizes discriminatory hiring practices. Read On The Fox News App "Considering these remarks, I have authorized an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above. If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions," Dhillon said. Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez told Fox News Digital he's glad the DOJ is looking into the Johnson administration's hiring practices, saying he thinks many Chicagoans have the same concern. Chicago's Mayor Johnson Is So Focused On Race He Can't See The Truth About Humanity "I am glad that they are looking into it. I think it validates the concerns that many Chicagoans have had that Brandon Johnson is a mayor, not for the entire city, but for only one demographic," Lopez said. "There are tens of thousands of individuals who work for the city of Chicago who feel as though they have been left out of promotions, left out of advancement or even left out from being hired as a whole even on the front line. And I think that needs to be looked into by the Department of Justice." Lopez said he thinks the city is taking steps in the wrong direction in the way it hires. "This is just one sad step backwards for the City of Chicago to have the mayor articulate so passionately that he prefers to hire one ethnic demographic at the expense of all others. It doesn't make sense to me how, in the 21st century, we've done so much to try to move beyond seeing each other just solely based on race, that we are now taking a giant leap in the wrong direction," he said. The alderman said there are Black Chicago residents he talks to who disagree with Johnson when it comes to hiring decisions. "Let me be 100%, 110% clear on this note. There are African Americans who don't like that statement either. There are many well-qualified leaders of departments who put blood, sweat and tears into lifting up Chicago, who now have been trivialized by his comments and are viewed through a lens of they're just here because they're Black," Lopez added. In comments made after the DOJ launched its investigation, Johnson said it came from a place of fear. "You can tell when someone is fearful is because they act out," Johnson said. "We have a president that is screaming and having tantrums right now because we have an administration that reflects the city of Chicago, but he would much rather have administrations that reflect the country club. Period." Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson for comment. Fox News' Greg Wehner contributed to this article source: Chicago alderman slams mayor's hiring practices as 'giant leap in the wrong direction' amid DOJ probe
Fox News
29-05-2025
- Fox News
Chicago alderman slams mayor's hiring practices as 'giant leap in the wrong direction' amid DOJ probe
Print Close By Adam Sabes Published May 29, 2025 A Chicago alderman says the city is taking a "giant leap in the wrong direction" after the Department of Justice announced it is investigating Mayor Brandon Johnson's hiring practices. During a May 18 service at the Apostolic Church of God, Johnson responded to people who claimed he only talked about hiring Black people. "No, what I'm saying is, when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet," he said. "I'm laying that out because when you ask, 'How do we ensure that our people get a chance to grow their business,' having people in my administration that will look out for the interests of everyone, and everyone means you have to look out for the interests of Black folks." Johnson mentioned top officials who serve in his administration and emphasized their race. One example included his deputy mayor of business and economic development, a Black woman. DOJ LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO BLUE STATE CITY OVER ALLEGED RACE-BASED HIRING After his remarks, Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, notified Johnson his administration is being investigated to see if it utilizes discriminatory hiring practices. Read the letter here "Considering these remarks, I have authorized an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above. If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions," Dhillon said. Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez told Fox News Digital he's glad the DOJ is looking into the Johnson administration's hiring practices, saying he thinks many Chicagoans have the same concern. CHICAGO'S MAYOR JOHNSON IS SO FOCUSED ON RACE HE CAN'T SEE THE TRUTH ABOUT HUMANITY "I am glad that they are looking into it. I think it validates the concerns that many Chicagoans have had that Brandon Johnson is a mayor, not for the entire city, but for only one demographic," Lopez said. "There are tens of thousands of individuals who work for the city of Chicago who feel as though they have been left out of promotions, left out of advancement or even left out from being hired as a whole even on the front line. And I think that needs to be looked into by the Department of Justice." Lopez said he thinks the city is taking steps in the wrong direction in the way it hires. "This is just one sad step backwards for the City of Chicago to have the mayor articulate so passionately that he prefers to hire one ethnic demographic at the expense of all others. It doesn't make sense to me how, in the 21st century, we've done so much to try to move beyond seeing each other just solely based on race, that we are now taking a giant leap in the wrong direction," he said. The alderman said there are Black Chicago residents he talks to who disagree with Johnson when it comes to hiring decisions. "Let me be 100%, 110% clear on this note. There are African Americans who don't like that statement either. There are many well-qualified leaders of departments who put blood, sweat and tears into lifting up Chicago, who now have been trivialized by his comments and are viewed through a lens of they're just here because they're Black," Lopez added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In comments made after the DOJ launched its investigation, Johnson said it came from a place of fear. "You can tell when someone is fearful is because they act out," Johnson said. "We have a president that is screaming and having tantrums right now because we have an administration that reflects the city of Chicago, but he would much rather have administrations that reflect the country club. Period." Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson for comment. Fox News' Greg Wehner contributed to this report. Print Close URL
