DOUG FRASER.

THANK YOU SO THANK AND FOR MUCH OF THE CHICAGO AREA'S HOMELESS POPULATION HOME IS A CAUGHT IN A ROOM SHARED WITH STRANGERS.

COOK COUNTY IS TRYING TO CHANGE THAT.

IT RECENTLY FUNDED TO HOTELS THAT OFFER LONGER-TERM APARTMENT STYLE LIVING PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT, PRIVACY AND STABILITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STUDENTS AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.

WE EXPLORE WHAT THIS RESPONSE MEANS FOR COOK COUNTY.

HERE'S DEAL.

PROFESSOR AVA THOMPSON GREENWELL >> WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE.

AND 62 YEAR-OLD MAURICE BUTLER HAS SPENT ABOUT 20 YEARS LIVING ON THE STREET.

YOU KNOW, MY BODY IS TIRED.

MY MIND IS TIGHT WHEN HE WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL KIDNEY AND PROSTATE CANCER.

HE SAYS HE KNEW HE NEEDED TO FIND A MORE PERMANENT AND PRIVATE PLACE TO STAY AND MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE MY LIFE.

3 BEEN A BUST OF GETTING ONE EYE OPEN APARTMENTS WITH ONE EYE OPEN YOU KNOW, WANT TO CLOSE.

>> HERE YOU CAN CLOSE EYES AND YOU CAN BY THE RESCUE.

COULD TAKE A SHOWER.

YOU CAN YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF.

>> EVANSTON, SMART CURRY TO END, WHICH IS INTERIM HOUSING RUN BY THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

CONNECTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS BUTLER WAS OFFERED A TEMPORARY HOME COOL THERE.

>> SAYING WE HAVE GOT TO GET THESE FOLDABLE POPULATIONS BUTLER'S TIME AT THE MARGARITA IN IS A COMPLETE ONE.

80 FROM HIS PREVIOUS SHELTER EXPERIENCES DISPLACES.

>> IT'S NOTHING.

NOTHING LIKE THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, PUTTING OUT AT 5 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

I MEAN, 5 O'CLOCK ON A SUNDAY MORNING WHEN YOU GO ROPE AND YOU CAN GO TO TERMS 5 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

SO YOU GOT TO WALK THE STREETS.

>> THE MARGARITA ONE OF 2 HOTELS BOUGHT BY COOK COUNTY FUNDING.

THE COST NEARLY 14 MILLION DOLLARS A MOVE NIETO POLAR US FROM CONNECTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS SAYS IT'S WORKING AND IT'S SHOWING THAT IT'S MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL.

>> SO PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND THAT CONGREGATE SETTING ABOUT 40% OF THE FOLKS THAT WE WORKED WITH WOULD EXIT AND 02:00AM A STABLE HOUSING SITUATION.

HERE.

THE MARGARITA, 70% OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE EVER COME THROUGH HERE EXIT INTO A STABLE HOUSING POSITION.

>> THE HOTELS WERE ORIGINALLY USED AS TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.

HOUSING ADVOCATES SAY THEY ARE TURNING OUT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFECTIVE.

THEN A TRADITIONAL SHELTER APPROACH.

NOW FAMILIES CAN STAY INTACT.

AND AGAIN, REALLY FOCUS THEIR EFFORTS YOU KNOW, MOVING AGAIN TO THAT NEXT DESTINATION.

THE RIGHT IN OAK PARK IS THE SECOND HOTEL PURCHASE WITH COUNTY FUNDS.

THE NONPROFIT HOUSING FORWARD RUNS IT.

WE'RE PROVIDING THEM WITH THAT STABLE WAS A SHUN THAT THEY NEED.

THERE'S THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY OF BEING ABLE TO SHUT YOUR DOOR AND HAVE A LEVEL OF PRIVACY.

BOTH FORMER HOTELS FEATURE SEMI PRIVATE ROOMS, 3 MEALS A DAY AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

PRIORITIZING PRIVACY INDEPENDENCE.

THAT'S OUR MAIN GOAL LINE.

WE JUST WANT.

>> FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR OUR KIDS AND A GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM GROW UP AND THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BASICALLY ACCESS TO THESE FEATURES AT THE RIGHT END HELP JONELLE WITH FIELDS, FAMILY.

>> WHEN HER PARTNER LOST HIS JOB 3 CHILDREN AND ANOTHER ON THE WAY SHE SAYS BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE WAS CRUCIAL.

I'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS AND ESPECIALLY YOUNGER KIDS IS VERY HIGH.

>> SO HERE YOU HAVE A BIT OF A PEACE OF MIND, A BIT OF A PIECE HOME.

>> THESE SERVICES INCLUDE ON SITE MEDICAL CARE, ACCESS TO A LIFE SKILLS COORDINATOR AND CASE WORKERS HELPING TO LOWER THE BARRIERS TO PERMANENT HOUSING TRICIA FREEMAN IS A LIFE SKILLS COORDINATOR AT THE MARGARITA IN.

>> FOR THE LIVE COURT NATIVE.

FIRST TO COME IN AND AND SAY.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE WELCOME.

YOU MATTER.

AND THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE HERE >> COOK COUNTY USED AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS FOR BOTH PROJECTS.

>> WEEPING IN CHURCH BASEMENTS BETTER THAN BEING ON THE STREET.

HOWEVER.

SO IT'S NOBODY WOULD CHOOSE.

THAT IS IF THEY HAD OTHER CHOICES.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A MORE TRADITIONAL HOUSING.

DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEIR TRUCK STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY.

>> THE SERVICE COORDINATORS FROM BOTH ORGANIZATIONS SAY THEY EXPECT THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH TO LEAD TO MORE LONG-TERM SUCCESS.

>> YOU CAN SLEEP PEACEFULLY HAVE A PEACE OF MIND.

FOR WTW NEWS AND NORTHWESTERN'S MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.

BUT AN >> A CELEBRATION LAST WEEK THE COUNTY SAID NO INTEREST FORGIVABLE LOAN FROM COOK COUNTY WAS THE FOUNDATION FOR SECURING FINANCING FOR THE MARGARITA PURCHASE BY CONNECTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS.

THE EVANSTON CITY COUNCIL