>> FOR MUCH OF THE PAST DECADE, HOMELESSNESS IN CHICAGO HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT, BUT LARGELY HIDDEN CRISIS.

BUT A ONE-TWO PUNCH.

FIRST, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THEN THE ARRIVAL OF MORE THAN 35,000 MIGRANTS FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER SHREDDED THE CITY'S SOCIAL SAFETY NET AND MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR MOST CHICAGOANS TO IGNORE THE GROWING NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED PEOPLE ON THE CITY STREETS.

BTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER JOINS US NOW WITH A LOOK AT WHETHER VOTERS WILL GIVE THE CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL NEW POWER TO ADDRESSED THE SPIRALING CRISIS NEXT MONTH WHEN WHEN THEY GO TO THE SO GIVE US A SENSE FIRST, HEATHER, THE SCOPE OF THE HOMELESS PROBABLY MENTION THE MIGRANTS, OBVIOUSLY COMPLICATING THINGS.

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT FOR DECADES, ADVOCATES FOR THE UNHOUSED HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED THAT THAT.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO UPDATE THE WAY THAT THEY COUNT UNSHELTERED PEOPLE.

SO IF YOU ASK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HOMELESSNESS HAS NOT WORSENED SIGNIFICANTLY IN CHICAGO WITH AN AVERAGE OF 5500 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN UNSHELTERED ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT.

BUT IF YOU ASK THE CHICAGO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, THAT WOEFULLY UNDER COUCH THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO LIVE DOUBLED UP WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY AND THE TRUE SCOPE OF THE CRISIS SHOULD INCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE, WHICH NUMBER MORE THAN 68,000 PEOPLE IN CHICAGO.

SO HUGE DISCREPANCY HERE.

AND WITH THE PROPOSAL KNOWN AS BRING CHICAGO HOME, DO REMIND US, WELL, IF THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN INITIATIVE BY GROUPS LIKE THE CHICAGO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS, KNOWING THAT MORE FEDERAL MONEY IS NOT ON THE WAY AND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS TO RAISE THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX ON PROPERTIES.

>> THAT SELL FOR MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LOWERING THE TRANSFER TASK FOR PROPERTIES THAT SELL FOR LESS ABOUT HIM NOW, THAT IS ESTIMATED TO GENERATE ABOUT 100 MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY WHICH WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS LIKE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND IT WILL HELP PEOPLE GET DIRECTLY INTO HOMES RATHER THAN WAITING ON SOMETIMES MONTHS AND YEARS LONG WAITING AND SO THIS IS A BALLOT REFERENDUM THAT CITY COUNCIL PASSED.

VOTERS ARE GOING TO GO HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE ON THIS.

WHAT'S AT STAKE WHEN THEY GO TO THE POLLS?

IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG TEST OF MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON'S.

>> POLITICAL MUSCLE.

HE ENDORSE THIS PROPOSAL.

HE PUSHED IT THROUGH TO THE BALLOT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, WHETHER HE CAN GET THROUGH WILL REALLY BE A TEST OF WHETHER CHICAGO VOTERS ARE WILLING TO RAISE TAXES ON WEALTHY CHICAGOANS TO START TO REBUILD THAT SHREDDED SOCIAL SOCIAL SAFETY NET THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.

ALL RIGHT, HEATHER SHARON, MUCH MORE TO COME ON THIS.

THANKS VERY MUCH.