City of Chicago clears homeless encampment in Legion Park

Chicago city employees cleared out a homeless encampment on the city's North Side this week.

On Tuesday, Chicago police officers and Chicago Park District employees spent the morning taking down tents at Legion Park. The park spans both sides of the North Shore Channel between Bryn Mawr Avenue and Lincoln and Peterson avenues — from north to south approximately where Kedzie Avenue would run.

Quoted in a report by Nadig Newspapers, Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th) said there had been fires at the Legion Park encampment, including one that destroyed several tents recently.

Advocates told Block Club Chicago that many residents of the encampment were not placed into new housing before their tents were cleared.

Housing Action Illinois said there are 126,000 missing affordable rental units in the city. Another group, All Chicago, said it can take an average of four years for people to find long-term housing.