(Patriot.Buzz) – In Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood, local residents are angry and strongly opposed to a proposed housing site for migrants. In response to the community’s requests for information, city officials confirmed a 10-acre vacant lot at 38th and California as the designated location for the encampment.
The planned encampment, which would have the capacity to accommodate around 2,000 migrants, became a point of contention after community members noticed construction activities on the lot, as reported by Fox 32 Chicago.
Explaining the decision, the mayor’s office released a statement: “The city of Chicago has been identifying viable sites across the city to construct base camps as an alternative to new arrivals sleeping outdoors, at O’Hare and on the floors of police district stations as winter fast approaches. The site at 38th and California appears viable, and the intention is to construct temporary shelter at this site.”
This proposed shelter is part of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s initiative to establish “winterized base camps.” The sudden appearance of construction equipment on the lot raised concerns among residents, leading them to reach out to the city’s office for clarification.
During a recent demonstration, Alderwoman Julia Ramirez and one of her aides faced accusations of pushing the project forward without seeking the opinions or consent of the community. In response to the backlash, Ramirez urged the administration to adopt a “more open” and “more transparent” approach. In a letter she shared publicly, Ramirez indicated that she had not been informed about the plans for the migrant shelter by the mayor’s office.
The community’s sentiment was clear, as one resident remarked during a meeting: “Nobody asked us, nobody told us. We have a few thousand people here who signed their signature and said ‘no! We said no!”
Local residents raised safety concerns, especially regarding the well-being of children who walk to school. They also expressed worry about the growing number of neighbors living on the streets. The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications reported that over 3,000 migrants were in need of shelter as of recently. Despite the opposition, the city has plans to begin relocating migrant families to the West Town shelter starting November 1.
