JOANNA HERNANDEZ, BACK TO YOU.

>>> CHICAGO IS ONE OF FIVE URBAN CENTERS THAT WILL GET HELP FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS .

WTTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

HEATHER, CHICAGO AND FIVE OTHER CITIES ARE GETTING THIS FEDERAL .

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE CITY?

>> THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS PLANNED TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS BY 25% BY 2025.

CHICAGO ALONG WITH DALLAS, LOS ANGELES, SEATTLE, THE PHOENIX METRO AREA AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OUTSIDE LOS ANGELES WILL GET HELP WITH DEDICATED FEDERAL OFFICIALS IN EACH AREA FOCUSED ON SORT OF PULLING TOGETHER RESOURCES AND ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM.

>> IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT CHICAGO WOULD BE CHOSEN, BUT WHY SPECIFICALLY WASN'T CHOSEN?

>> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THEIR GOALS ARE ALIGNED.

BIDEN IS RUNNING FOR A SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT.

HE WILL ACCEPT THE PARTY NOMINATION IN CHICAGO.

SO IT BENEFITS EVERYBODY TO HAVE THE FEWEST AMOUNT OF UNSHELTERED CHICAGOANS ON CITY STREETS.

>> AND THE NEW MAYOR HAS DEPUTY DEVOTED TO THIS.

HERE IS THE NEW DEPUTY MAYOR JENNIFER JOHNSON MAKING THE CASE FOR THE CITY PLAN TO FOCUS ON THOSE WHO SHELTER ON CTA TRAINS.

>> UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS SPECIFICALLY AFFECTS BLACK RESIDENTS IN CHICAGO.

MANY OF THESE RESIDENTS HAVE COMPLEX NEEDS BASED ON ONGOING STRUGGLES WITH CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

THESE COMPLEX NEEDS OBVIOUSLY ENGAGE AND INTERACT WITH THEIR TRANSIENT NATURE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO REACH THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION.

>> 65,000 UNHOUSED IN CHICAGO.

>> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE PEOPLE SEEKING SHELTER ON THE STREETS BECAME MORE VISIBLE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WHEN RIDERSHIP DROPPED ON CTA.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST AT RISK OF SUFFERING ILLNESSES.

THAT IS WHY THE CITY IS FOCUSED ON THEM.

HOWEVER, THESE PROGRAMS WILL ALSO TARGET VETERANS WHO ARE RETURNING TO