Dozens of migrants granted extensions on Chicago's 60-day shelter limit in first round of evictions
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Evictions were scheduled for Sunday for nearly three dozen migrants at three different city-run shelters in Chicago. Those set to be evicted had hit the 60-day shelter limit, although some received extensions. However, it turns out only three people were removed.
Many of those migrants scheduled to be evicted were granted extensions. The City of Chicago told CBS 2 most of them were in the process of applying for city benefits, while others had health-related reasons, so the city allowed them to extend their stays.
It was not immediately clear which of the city shelters the three who were evicted were removed from.
It's all a part of a strategy by the city to encourage migrants to work toward independence. The policy gives new arrivals up to 60 days to find permanent housing, whether through rental assistance or a relative. Then if they are unsuccessful, they have the option to re-apply for city assistance.
Thousands of migrants hope to call Chicago home.
"Sunday is our first day. I'm sure within a couple of weeks of this iteration, it will evolve, and we will tweak it to be more effective and efficient," said Brandie Knazze, with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services.
Knazze said the evictions are a new approach.
"Right now, this is the first wave, and so we're going to take it one day at a time," she said. "This is always a continuous improvement in our processes. But right now, the process is that individuals will go back to the landing zone, and they will re-apply for a shelter through that process."
Essentially, if migrants have not found permanent housing through a relative or rental assistance in 60 days, they are back to the landing zone where they began.
"We'll be working with them to make sure they can connect with family and friends," Knazze said. "Again, that's part of what the case management is preparing them. But they'll be able to either wait for a bed throughout our shelter system."
Families with children enrolled in Chicago Public Schools are safe to stay until the end of the school year.
As the city pushes migrants to find stability, more than 2,000 migrants are set to be evicted by April 30.
The next round of evictions is set for later this month and is expected to affect more than 200 migrants.
These evictions come on the heels of a measles outbreak among migrants. As of Friday, the city confirmed 12 measles cases, 10 of which are from the migrant shelter in Pilsen. Two are students.
The city is taking additional precautions by making people get vaccinated upon arrival. As of Friday, nearly 900 received the MMR vaccine at the Pilsen shelter.
One man told CBS 2 on Sunday that when he arrived Saturday, he was vaccinated immediately. He also said that while completing the paperwork, officials told him his shelter stay would be limited.
