>> MAYOR JOHNSON SUSPENDED THE 60 DAY SHELTER LIMIT FOR MIGRANTS FOR THE 3RD TIME THIS WEEK.

THIS MEANS MORE THAN 14,000 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN CITY SHELTERS WILL HAVE UNTIL MID-MARCH TO FIND MORE PERMANENT HOUSING.

HERE'S MAYOR JOHNSON EARLIER THIS WEEK ON THE POLICY.

>> BECAUSE OUR PLAN FOR TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER WAS NEVER MEANT AS A LONG-TERM HOUSING SOLUTION.

THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.

THERE.

THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS TO WHAT WE CAN DO.

>> JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE ANY GOMBERG, THE LEAD ORGANIZER WITH THE POLICE STATION RESPONSE TEAM 40TH WAR ALDERMAN BASKETS WHO IS CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS COMMITTEE.

JESSICA A PROFESSOR AT U CHICAGO'S CROWD FAMILY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK POLICY AND PRACTICE AND BIKE BUDDIES INTO THAT.

I WANT KABUL'S DEPUTY MAYOR FOR IMMIGRANT MIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US NOW.

WANT TO START OFF PROGRESSIVE ALDERMEN WERE PUSHING JOHNSON TO CANCEL THE 60 DAY LIMIT ALTOGETHER.

DEPUTY MAYOR, WHY THE SUSPENSION?

>> WELL, WHEN WE FIRST LAUNCHED THIS POLICY, WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS AND WE BUILT IN THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING BUT THE THE 60 DAY POLICIES FOR INDIVIDUALS BASED ON WEATHER, PERSONAL MEDICAL REASONS OR OTHER EXTEND NOON CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT POLICY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IMPLEMENTATION LOOKS LIKE.

AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE AROUND THE CITY ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WOULD BE CHASED, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE WEATHER.

SO THIS WAS OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY TO RESETTLE OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTERS.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE EVICTION PROCESS WOULD WORK?

HOW DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

>> WELL, FIRST, IT'S NOT EVICTION PROCESS.

AS WE'VE SAID MANY, MANY TIMES.

THIS IS A TEMPORARY SHELTER SITUATION.

NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN CONGREGATE SHELTER, WHICH BIG OPEN SPACES FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

AND WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PARTNER WITH THE STATE THAT DOES ALL OF THE RESETTLEMENT AND HOUSING RENTAL SUPPORT TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THE JOURNEY OF MOVING THROUGH THE SHELTER SYSTEM INTO THEIR OWN SPACES.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS AS PEOPLE COME AND THEY HAVE A 60 DAY NOTICE.

NOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXTENSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

BUT IN THAT AS THEY START THEIR TIME IN THE SHELTER SYSTEM.

WE HAVE SOME TOUCH POINTS TO SUPPORT THEM AND MAKING A PLAN FOR MOVING OUT.

THE STATE DOES HAVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT.

THERE ARE ALSO LIMITS TO THAT.

BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN THESE NOTICES WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT SUPPORT.

AND IF THEY DON'T, BECAUSE RENTAL ASSISTANCE HAS CHANGED, NOT EVERYONE IS ELIGIBLE OUR VARIOUS TEAMS BOTH THE CITY'S CASE MANAGERS THAT ARE ON STAFF THERE THROUGH OUR STAFFING AGENCY AS WELL AS THE ONES THAT ARE THERE FROM BILL AND WELCOMING CENTER'S AND FROM CATHOLIC CHARITY STAFF.

WE'LL WORK WITH PEOPLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO CONNECT THEM TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES SO THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR MOVING ON FROM THE SHELTERS ANY NUMBER.

I WANT TO GO TO YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE HELPING PEOPLE.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING PEOPLE WHEN THEY START?

>> THINKING ABOUT WHERE THEY WOULD GO NEXT.

I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION ON THE GROUND ABOUT THE POLICY, ABOUT THE PROCESS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

>> AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR MENTIONED, NOT EVERYBODY GETS HOUSING, NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT STATE.

THE STATE VOUCHERS FOR HOUSING AND WHEN YOU HAVE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO WORK AND YOU DON'T HAVE RESOURCES PUT YOURSELF INTO YOUR OWN APARTMENT WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN SCHOOL.

AND WHEN YOU ALSO HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT THAT BEFALL US, ALL OF THE ILLNESS AND INJURY AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL AS THE TRAUMA OF THIS JOURNEY.

THAT'S A LOT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TO UNPACK AS WELL AS TO TRY TO GET A FRESH START HERE IN CHICAGO.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF I THINK, A LOT OF CONCERN, A LOT OF WORRY AND A LOT OF FEAR.

AND ALDERMAN VASQUEZ.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO MARCH?

WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE?

WHAT ABOUT IF?

>> DO YOU ANOTHER CONTINUOUS EXTENSION?

>> WELL, THAT'S THAT'S YOU KNOW WHAT WE WERE CALLING FOR A DRAFT LETTER IS AN END TO THE POLICY DEFINITELY THAT THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES COULD LOOK LIKE.

SO TODAY COULD HAVE BEEN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DAY.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 1900 PEOPLE WHO DEPENDING ON THEIR SITUATION MAY NOT HAVE HAD A PLACE TO GO AND THE WAY THE SYSTEM MS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATED THEY'D END UP AT A LANDING NOW, IF THAT LANDING ZONE WOULD HAVE BEEN FULL WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU KEEP GETTING THE BUSES, CREASE DIFFERENT BOTTLENECKS.

AND SO RECOGNIZING THAT IT IS A LARGER PROBLEM.

WE ARE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS.

WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE IS FOLKS THE STREET IT COULD LOOK TO PEOPLE SHOPLIFTING MORE BECAUSE TRYING TO SURVIVE YOUNG MALES BEING BROUGHT INTO GANG'S TERRITORY, DEFINED COMMUNITY AND SO UNDERSTAND IT.

THE LEAD TO LARGER PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO LARGER CAUSE FOR THE CITY.

IT MADE SENSE TO KIND OF PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION MAY HAVE ONLY BEEN HEARING FROM PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT WHO ARE SAYING GET RID OF EVERYONE WHO WOULD SAY THAT WAS A GOAL TURN TO STOP.

TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION.

IF YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, WHAT IS THIS THING AND AND NOT REALLY THINK ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS.

LOOK LIKE YOU ALSO NEED THE COUNTERBALANCE OF ALL.

THIS IS WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE WE DON'T ACTUALLY TAKE THE RIGHT STEPS.

NOW TO BE FAIR, WE NEED A COUPLE THINGS TO HAPPEN.

WE NEED THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY TO GIVE WORK AUTHORIZATIONS TO EVERYONE NEEDS IT SO PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GET THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT AT 2.

OUR TAX BASE ELIMINATED BOTTLENECKS AND WE NEED MORE PERMISSION FROM THE STATE.

SO THAT OTHER CITIES IN ILLINOIS, WHICH IS ALSO WELCOMING STATE, CAN TAKE ON SOME CAPACITY, WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE BECAUSE IT'S NOT CURRENTLY THE CASE.

AND THE SEAS LEFT A KIND OF SHOULDER.

LOT OF THAT BURDEN YOU'RE LEFT WITH THESE VERY PIVOTAL AND HARD CONVERSATIONS WHICH LEAVES PEOPLE LIKE ANY CONVERTS ON THE GROUND TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE.

I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU AND JUST GOING TO GO TO YOU WHAT CHALLENGES ARE MIGRANTS UP AGAINST WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING AND ACCESSING HOUSING?

>> I THINK THAT ACTUALLY IS ONE OF THE CRUCIAL QUESTIONS WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THIS CRISIS BECAUSE OF DECADES OF DISINVESTMENT IN LOW-INCOME HOUSING IN A CITY AND THIS PERSON SEE THIS ADMINISTRATION.

BUT ACCESSING HOUSING IS A LOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN A POLICY THAT IDEALLY GIVES PEOPLE RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR EVEN SAYING THAT THAT LANDLORDS CAN DISCRIMINATE BASED ON A NATIONAL IMMIGRATION STATUS OR NATIONALITY.

THE FACT IS, IS THAT WE DO HAVE A CITY THAT IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH LOW-INCOME HOUSING AND PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND APARTMENTS UNLESS THEY CAN ALSO FIND WORK, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE TO HAVE WORK, AUTHORIZATION AUTHORIZATION.

THERE'S SO MANY STEPS THAT ARE REALLY OUT OF THE CONTROL OF THIS CITY'S ADMINISTRATION AND REALLY OUT OF CONTROL VOLUNTEERS.

WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WORKING SO HARD TO TO PLUG HOLES THAT ARE THEN CONSTANTLY FLOODING AGAIN.

AND I THINK REALLY THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING CONTACTS IN OUR CITY IS ONE OF THE CORE PROBLEMS THAT CAN'T BE SOLVED IN THIS CRISIS MOMENT.

AND DEPUTY MAYOR DID TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT.

HOW WILL OR HOW HAS THE CITY BEEN HELPING MIGRANTS FIND A LONG-TERM SOLUTION?

>> WELL, I DO WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY THAT WE HAVE HELPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE 15,000 PEOPLE ALREADY MOVED THROUGH THE SHELTER SYSTEM AND RESETTLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA OR REUNITE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THAT FUNDING THAT THE STATE PROVIDES FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES KNOW WHAT CENTERS WHICH HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS PARTNERS AND HELPING HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT AND SETTLEMENT AND THE CITY.

OUR MAIN GOAL, HAS BEEN PROVIDING THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER, IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, AND I'M TAKING CARE OF THE MOST BASIC NEEDS.

AND IF THINK ABOUT IT IN THE 7 OR 8 MONTHS, WE GREW FROM A VERY SMALL SHELTER SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 15,000 BED CAPACITY IN 28 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

SO I THINK THAT WAS RECORD TIME IN TERMS OF OPENING SHELTER.

AND NOW WE ARE IN THIS PHASE WHERE WE WILL LOOK AT HOW WE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE IN THE SHELTERS AND REALLY HELP PEOPLE ON THAT JOURNEY.

IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN GOVERNMENT.

SO I KNOW THAT WE, AS ALDERMEN SAID, WITH OUR LIMITED RESOURCES, BOTH FOR THE CITY, THE STATE AND THE COUNTY.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR HUMAN SERVICES COMMUNITY TO PHILANTHROPY, CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY.

WE KNOW THAT WE'VE RELIED HEAVILY ON MANY VOLUNTEERS, A MUTUAL AID GROUPS THAT HAVE STEPPED UP AND HELPED INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES AS WELL AS GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

AND IT'S SUCH A VARIETY OF WAYS.

BUT I THINK IT'S A MOMENT MUCH LIKE WHEN THE SETTLEMENT HOUSE MOVEMENT STARTED IN CHICAGO.

IT'S ANOTHER MOMENT WHERE ALL SECTORS OF THE CITY AND THE AREA REALLY BECAUSE WE'RE WELCOMING CITY AND A WELCOMING STATE.

WE'LL HAVE TO STEP UP TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AS THEY FIND WAYS TO WORK AND INTEGRATE INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IS THIS IS CLEARLY A POLITICAL ATTACK INTO MUCH MORE OF A NATIONAL CONVERSATION BECAUSE EVERY GENERATION THIS NARRATIVE HAPPENED WITH EVERY MIGRANT POPULATION THAT COMES IN.

>> BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A FIGHT BETWEEN THE 2 PARTIES IN A PRESIDENT OPINION SO MUCH CRITICISM, THE CITY DOING NO THAT GOT TEXAS KIND OF WEAPONIZING FOLKS WHO NEED HELP AND SENDING THEM TO, YOU KNOW, IT TO BE FAIR TAX IS GOING THROUGH ITS OWN CHALLENGES SKIP OVER STATES AND SEND ONLY TO CHICAGO.

IT'S CLEARLY A POLITICAL ATTACK.

AND SO EVERYONE IS HANDS ON DECK, TRYING INVEST AS POSSIBLE ITS VOLUNTEERS OR GOVERNMENT.

BUT AGAIN, IT RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE PRESIDENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE IN A WAY ALLOWS EVERYONE TO FIND THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY.

I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO THINK AHEAD ABOUT THE NEXT ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CYCLES SOMEWHAT.

YOU'RE SPEAKING TO I THINK THE DEPUTY YOU KNOW, MENTIONS THAT GOVERNMENT CAN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS AND YET.

>> THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING NEWCOMERS TO OUR CITIES WERE GUTTED BY THE PRIOR PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION.

THEY WERE LEFT SO UNDER RESOURCED, UNDERSTAFFED AND SO STRESSED AND TRAUMATIZED THEMSELVES.

THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE CARE FOR NEWCOMERS TO THE CITY BECAUSE ADMINISTRATION WAS REALLY OUT TO DECIMATE THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT NEWCOMERS.

AND SO NOW WE HAVE THIS CRISIS.

I'M REALLY FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF, I THINK INCREDIBLY WELL INTENTIONED, BUT OVERTAXED AND UNDER RESOURCED PRIVATE SECTOR I JUST THINK THE VOLUNTEER NETWORK, UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T HAVE WHAT WE NEED.

AND SO THAT ASK OURSELVES KNOW, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CYCLE?

HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN NOVEMBER?

AND IF WE DON'T, HOW LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS MOMENT?

I FEAR IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE AND I'M SITTING ANY.

WHAT ARE YOUR I YOU KNOW, I'M LISTENING TO ALL OF US.

I THINK ALL THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

BUT WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL EVICTION IN THOSE 1900 PEOPLE GOING BACK TO THE LANSING LANDINGS AND WE TALK ABOUT THE LANDING ZONE LIKE IT'S A PLACE THAT IS THE THAT IS 8 CITY BUSSES.

THE LANDING ZONE IS NOT A PLACE THAT WE NEED TO BE PUTTING PEOPLE AT ALL.

AND THE IDEA THAT IT'S EMPTY RIGHT NOW GIVES ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO IN AS JESSICA SAID, A REAL DESPERATE NEED.

>> OF A BREAK, A REAL, WE CAN BREATHE A LITTLE BIT KNOWING THAT THAT IS NOT BEING USED.

I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT A TELESCOPE IN AND OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE AND THE URGENT AND THE AND THE SURVIVAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN LIVING FOR THE LAST 8 MONTHS TO THE IMPORTANT, WHICH IS THE PLANNING AND THE VISION.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR FROM OUR MAYOR FROM OUR GOVERNOR AND AND OF COURSE, FROM THE PRESIDENT.

BUT TO THAT END, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY HAD A COUPLE SECONDS AGO WHEN STATE ME REGULARLY, WE ARE PLANNING A MORE REGIONAL APPROACH AND IT DEFINITELY WILL INCLUDE.

>> OUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BECAUSE IF THIS IS A FEDERAL MATTER, THAT SHOULD BE COORDINATED NATIONALLY BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FUNDED APPROPRIATELY ALL WHAT YOU'VE SPOKEN TO IS IS CORRECT IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN HANDLE