>> BRANDON JOHNSON'S ADMINISTRATION DESIGNED FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO CHICAGO'S HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

MORE THAN 10,000 ASYLUM-SEEKERS HAVE ARRIVED SINCE LAST AUGUST.

MANY LIVE IN A POLICE STATION FLOOR.

OTHERS, PLACED IN LARGE SHELTERS.

MANY CHURCHES STEPPING TO HELP.

THE CITY IS NOW PREPARING TO SEEK PROPOSALS FOR A COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL THAT COULD CUT DOWN ON HIGH COSTS AND FIND MORE PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS FOR THESE NEW ARRIVALS.

NOW WITH MORE IS MADE BRANDON JOHNSON'S FIRST DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF.

I WANT TO WELCOME HIM.

THINK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

AND I WANT TO START BY ASKING WHAT DID THIS SETTLEMENT LOOK LIKE?

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL?

>> SURE, LET ME JUST FRAME UP FOR YOU THAT WE SETTLED IN KIND OF CONTEXT.

THIS IS REALLY JUST STARTING TO LOOK AT WE ARE KNOWN AS A WELCOMING CITY.

WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION BRANCH.

AND NOW THE BUILDING HAS BEEN STRUCTURED TO BE ABLE TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT CONCEPT.

SO, WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TEMPORARY HOUSING OR THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONGREGATE SHELTERS THAT ARE TEMPORARY, THAT IS JUST THE FIRST STOP TO A PATTERN AND TO A PATH OF RESETTLEMENT.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE WILL BE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN STAFF OUR TEMPORARY SHELTER.

THEY CAN ALSO SUPPORT THE MANAGEMENT NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

WE PARTNER WITH THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO, PROBABLY SIX MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE SO THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN START THEIR LIFE IN CHICAGO AND BE ON A PATH FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR CITY.

>> THAT IS WHAT EVENTUALLY THEY ALL WANT.?

THAT IS WHY THEY ARE HERE.

HOW WOULD THIS PLAN HAVE HELP ACTUALLY WITH CUTTING THE CURRENT CITY COSTS?

>> CURRENTLY, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A TEMPORARY STAFF FIRM THAT IS NATIONAL.

IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN UTILIZED FOR STAFFING NEEDS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC.

IN MANY WAYS, THIS IS INCREDIBLY COSTLY.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE DOLLARS ARE NOT STAYING IN OUR CITY.

YOU HAVE GOT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT ARE COMING IN FOR A PERIOD OF ONE MONTH, THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, A YEAR.

AND THEY ARE PUT UP IN HOTELS AND THEIR PAID, YOU KNOW, A WAGE AND IN SOME CASES, BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING MORE THAN JUST ONE SHIFT, THAT WAGE INCREASES.

AND SO THAT IS WHERE THE COST FACTOR IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.

NOR IS IT JUSTIFIABLE.

AND WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO ENSURE IS THAT WHO WE HAVE WORKING WITH OUR NEW ARRIVALS, ARE CULTURALLY CONGRUENT.

THEY ARE LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE, AND THEY ARE ALSO TRAUMA INFORMED.

DR. WHITCOMB WAS EVENTUALLY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WOULD HELP MIGRANTS FIND A MORE SUITABLE AND MORE LONG-TERM PLACE TO STAY, CORRECT?

>> THIS IS TRUE.

RIGHT NOW, OUR CURRENT SETUP IS COMMUNAL, CATHOLIC CHARITIES.

SERVING TO KIND OF BE THE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR RESETTLEMENT.

IDENTIFYING APARTMENTS, BLOCKING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS THROUGH POTENTIAL APARTMENTS.

HELPING THEM WITH SIGNING THE LEASE.

WE HAVE OUR OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDING WRAPAROUND SUPPORT AND LEGAL SERVICES AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS.

BUT AGAIN, THE IDEA IS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE CULTURAL CAPITOL OF OUR COMMUNITIES RIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO FOR THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.

>> RIGHT, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SIX MONTH PARENTAL ASSISTANCE TO MIGRANTS.

WILL EVERYBODY GET THIS ASSISTANCE?

WHO WILL QUALIFY FOR THE SIX MONTHS?

>>?

SO, RIGHT NOW, HOW IT IS SET UP IS MORE CURRENTLY IN TEMPORARY SHELTER WITHIN THE CITY.

YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE FUNDS.

PRIOR TO THE SIGNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET, THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAD IDENTIFIED SOME FUNDS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING.

FOR WHAT WE CALL ASYLUM SEEKER EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

SO, THOSE FIND IT WAS ABOUT $4 MILLION.

WOULD 3.6 MILLION GO TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS THESE APPLICATIONS IF YOU ARE IN THE SHELTER.

AND THEN ABOUT 600,000 GOES TO OUR CATHOLIC CHARITY PARTNER.

AND THEN THERE IS ALSO A PORTION THAT GOES TO NEW LIFE WHICH HELPS WITH MOVING OUT.

NOW, THE PLAN IS AND FISCAL YEAR 24 THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF UP TO $25 MILLION THAT THE STATE HAS PROVIDED THAT WILL EXPAND OUR CAPACITY.

>> THERE IS A TOPIC THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW MIGRANTS HAVE TO WAIT UP TO SIX MONTHS EVEN TO GET LEGAL WORK PERMITS.

HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH FEDERAL OR STATE LEVELS TO ADDRESS THIS?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON THAT EFFORT FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE AN UPCOMING MEETING WITH OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION.

THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION THAT IS OF PRESENTED HIS.

BOTH IN CONGRESS AND THE HOUSE OF HER PRESENTED AS WELL AS THE SENATE.

TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT AND STRESS UPON THE NEED FOR ACCESS TO SEE THE WORK AUTHORIZATION.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS WELL AS NATIONAL EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATIONS WHO ALSO HAVE A DESIRE TO STREAMLINE WORK AUTHORIZATION.

>> THE SOONER THEY CAN GET THE PERMIT THE SOONER THEY CAN BE INDEPENDENT, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S