Submitted By
Jonathan Burch, Assistant Village Manager and Neighborhood Services Director
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Presentation and Discussion on Oak Park’s Unhoused Population, Including Ongoing Work of the Village and Key Community Partners
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Overview
Overview
At the December 3rd meeting the Board will hear about zoning changes to make possible an expanded emergency shelter in Oak Park, as well as consider the 2025 budget, which includes funding to support that expansion. Staff will present information about homelessness in Oak Park, including the work of the Village and key partners to contextualize these items. Housing Forward will also present potential programs to further support unhoused residents.
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Anticipated Actions/Commitments
Recommendation
Staff requests that the Board provide direction on the work of the Village and partners to support the unhoused, including the Housing Forward proposals. Specific actions by the Board related to the zoning changes for the emergency shelter and funding to operationalize it will be covered through other items on the December 3 agenda.
Report
Since 2020, the Village has seen an increase in the number of unhoused residents, particularly in downtown Oak Park near the train station. In recent years the Village has partnered with Housing Forward and the Oak Park Homelessness Coalition to support the needs of these residents. This includes the following.
1. Renovation of the Write Inn to provide 50 to 60 units of high-quality interim housing.
2. Creation of a 20-bed emergency shelter at St. Catherin/St Lucy.
3. Funding to support two street outreach workers in Oak Park.
4. Funding homeless prevention via the Flexible Rental Assistance Program (FRAP).
5. Funding a crisis housing and rental support program for families and transitioned-aged youth.
With the number of unhoused residents increasing, the Village continues to work with Housing Forward and the Oak Park Homelessness Coalition on additional actions to support these residents while addressing business and resident concerns. At the December 3rd meeting, the Board will consider two actions to support the expansion of the emergency shelter in Oak Park from 20 beds to 45 beds.
1. A Text Amendment and Special Use Permit to allow for the operation of the emergency shelter at 112 S. Humphrey Avenue.
2. Capital ($250,000) and bridge operating support ($329,000) to Housing Forward as part of the 2025 budget.
Staff recommends that the Board support the Text Amendment, Special Use Permit, capital funding, and bridge operating support. The current shelter operates at capacity each night and its expansion is a critical part of a plan to house more residents.
Beyond these actions, staff continue to pursue other steps. These include the following.
1. Launching a panhandling campaign to encourage residents to “make real change, not spare change” by redirecting giving from panhandling to expanded support for the unhoused.
2. Launching phase 1 of the ECHO program with three staff.
3. Responding to community concerns through a combination of communication, cleaning, and space modifications.
4. Discussing train station operations and beautification with Metra and CTA.
Housing Forward also continues to develop programs to respond to the crisis. They will present programs that expand street outreach, better leverage interim housing, and support targeted hotel stays.
DEI Impact
The approach by the Village and its partners aligns with the Village Board’s objective to provide multifaceted support for unhoused residents while supporting strong business districts and neighborhoods. Many of the actions proposed and underway would increase support services and housing options for diverse populations including underrepresented and marginalized groups.
Alternatives
The Board could request additional information.