Chicago officials propose housing about 300 migrants in Hyde Park hotel
CHICAGO (CBS) – At some overcrowded Chicago police districts on Wednesday, people's belongings are piled up, kids toys lay on the sidewalk, and there was a wall of suitcases.
While some in the community shared their concerns, other neighbors were unhappy with the proposed fixes. CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot was at a community meeting in Hyde Park being hosted by an alderman, where they will discuss moving migrants to a hotel in the area.
The major concerns of those who spoke to CBS 2 on and off camera included neighborhood safety and finding a permanent solution for housing migrants.
The 1st Police District, near 17th and State streets, was where two mattresses were strewn along the sidewalk in front of the station. Migrants' personal belongings, inside tote bags, suitcases, and duffle bags were stacked high.
Outside of the 3rd District, near 70th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, several tents were set up to provide shelter for migrants during the day.
Police sources said the most up-to-date numbers show there are 2,038 migrants living in police districts and Chicago airports.
In Hyde Park, a more comfortable solution awaits migrants at the Chicago Lake Shore Hotel. The city is considering turning the hotel into a shelter early next week to house as many as 300 people.
"So it's kind of like 60/40," said Hyde Park resident Sherrie Collier adding, "I'm all with helping people in general, because I'm a loving person and I don't want to see nobody homeless or struggling, you know, but we do have a lot of homelessness already in our community and in our city. So it's like, what are you guys gonna do for the people in our community, in our city that's already here?"
Collier said she's also concerned about tensions rising among young migrants and young Chicagoans, something she said she witnessed firsthand when some migrants were in an alley looking for items they could sell for money, and they were confronted by other teens.
"OK, you're coming in our community, trying to take our stuff, like, no," said Collier. "So I feel like they felt like they were protecting their community and I could definitely see the crime rate going up higher here in Chicago."
The community meeting on Wednesday was meant for residents like Collier to express their concerns.
