While discussion at Monday’s City Council meeting focused on whether to seek county funding to set up a shelter for migrants in Evanston, some speakers at public comment had other suggestions for how to help.
Betty Alzamora, who’s been active with resettlement efforts in Forest Park and surrounding west suburban towns, suggested the emphasis should be placed on finding long-term rental housing options for the new arrivals.
She noted that Oak Park set up temporary shelters last fall but now has closed them, after she and other other volunteers helped find homes for the new arrivals.
Legal services, housing and mutual aid support are essential, Alzamora, who herself is a first-generation immigrant from Venezuela, told the Forest Park Review in a late February story profiling a family newly housed there.
Debra Michaud, who lives in Evanston’s 9th Ward and volunteers with a group called Refugee Support Chicago, came to the meeting with new arrival Dyonne Indra Blanca, who described the journey she’d made with her two children through seven countries to arrive here.
Blanca is now studying at Truman College, working cleaning houses and volunteering with Michaud’s group.
Michaud said its very difficult to get refugees settled into apartments, because landlords are reluctant to rent to them because of uncertainty about whether they’ll get paid.
“It’s time for the suburbs to step up,” and help the City of Chicago with this crisis, Michaud added.
Evanston landlord Carlis Sutton suggested it would be better to spend money on rent payments to private landlords than setting up a new, city-run shelter.
The ground rules for the county’s Disaster Response and Recovery Fund say the money can be used to help people who crossed the Mexico/U.S. border on or after Aug. 1, 2022, and who do not have permanent or interim U.S. legal status, other than parole status.
It says the funds can be used for shelter and transitional housing, food, wraparound services and resettlement services, including short-term rental assistance and case management services.
Mr Sutton raised a great point about supporting Evanston landlords with, perhaps, rent guarantees or subsidies versus a building which would cost a great deal for now and in the future. Does the city want another housing project when embedding these people in the community would be as if not more effective?
Use grant to pay Evanston residents rent !
Apparently, $2000 a month in rent is considered affordable housing !
From what I’ve read, Oak Park used some of the funds they received to directly fund rent for the migrants vs investing in temporary shelters. Landlords were willing to accept one-year prepaid leases. And, the rentals weren’t all within Oak Park, but in other perhaps less expensive communities. So…why can’t Evanston do the same thing? The migrants may not end up living in Evanston, but the Evanston community could help find them longer-term homes wherever. The biggest requirement after that is helping them get work permits so they can support themselves. Using funds to pay to renovate a building for use as a temporary shelter especially one not owned by the City is a waste of money. I would hope our Mayor and Council Members would recognize that.
In the words of 4th Ward Ald Neiuwsma, “If you build it they will come”. Debra Michaud says it is time for us to step up and help Chicago. Why exactly is that? It’s time to focus on Evanston.
Rentals will be much more flexible than establishing a temporary shelter, and seem a better solution for this problem. The city doesn’t need to get involved in managing this process beyond disbursing funds and ensuring value for dollars spent.
Dyonne Blanca went through SEVEN countries to get to the US?!? Six other countries decided not to add her to their social net and sent her to illegally cross their borders?!? WHY?!? The answer is Dyonne and the six other countries wanted Dyonne and her entourage to end her trek in the US, where our tax dollars will support her. More specifically – Evanston.
Just no.
Ah yes, nothing like raising demand for housing even more and thus RENT. Thanks buddy, you’ve just made it even harder on the working class. I bet you feel so good about yourself for “doing the right thing.”
I second what you said, Jean. In addition, why did Biss allow a resident and the council allow a migrant to take over the council meeting? How many times have we heard this same story about their travels. People, we should refrain from getting involved in this; it is not our responsibility. Nobody has been able to handle this situation well. Chicago serves as a warning about what not to do. Are there any adults in the room? Does anyone on the council have any real business experience? The migrant situation has proven to be nothing but quicksand and we are jumping right in. Why? We can’t help these people without harming our city.
I call this Paradoxical Robin Hood Syndrome.
Steal from the Poor to give to the current popular Poor to make the Rich feel good.
The council already is unable to meet the needs for equality of life for current generationally marginalized residents of Evanston, but think they are somehow up to the task of helping the migrants. So you get a State or County Grant in perpetuity me thinks not. You will not get another grant every year.. So you then have an unbudgeted program that you have to cut $’s from existing programs to pay for it, “Paradoxical Robinhood.”
This City Councils must take a step back & educate themselves first on history of these ideas and their already unsuccessful track record with not “free” housing but simply Affordable Housing of current residents in need.
These type of ideas will historically just unfortunately get the people into the Queue line to the poverty cycle of society because we don’t have any realized and financially supported programs already in place for our own citizens of need.
Cities Council cannot react without truly understanding the history of the complex social and economic factors that have led to the failure of so many of these kinds of plans enacted on the poor. These same “urgent” crisis driven & admittedly well intended “projects” without regard to the future impact to current people in poverty, have plagued the already existing communities of black marginalized Residents.
It just ultimately ends up compounding the already inability of those current residents & communities to access their own quality housing.
Honestly, the City Council cannot even agree on where it is “ok” to put new affordable housing for current Evanston residents in need. Hmm why was there not any ideas to remodel the Civic center into affordable housing for our current residents?? Im just saying.