>>> THE HUMBOLDT PARK HUB HAS A GROWING CONCERN FOR SOME RESIDENTS, PROMPTING OFFICIALS TO FIND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.

IT IS NOT AN ISSUE PARTICULAR TO HUMBOLDT PARK, MORE THAN 65,000 CHICAGOANS ARE CURRENTLY WITHOUT A HOUSE.

WE ARE JOINED BY JESSE FUENTES OF THE 26th WARD, BRUCE PERRY, AND COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF THE 8th DISTRICT WHICH INCLUDES PART OF HUMBOLDT PARK.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THEM?

>> I THINK THAT FIRST, IT IS GOING AND SPEAKING TO THESE INDIVIDUALS ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS SO THAT THEY FEEL HUMANIZED.

AND SO THAT THERE IS NOT JUST ONE BROAD STROKE .

THEIR NEEDS ARE DIVERSE.

WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT ENCAMPMENT WHO ARE VETERANS, WHO HAVE SERVED THIS COUNTRY, WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HISTORICAL AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA.

THEY NEED SUPPORT.

TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS , IT IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTIONS WILL NOT WORK HERE.

>> HOW HAS THIS ISSUE GOTTEN BIGGER SINCE TOBIN?

>> THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE NUMBER OF ENCAMPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE INCREASED.

WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE.

THEY ARE GENERATING THE WORST ASPECTS OF POVERTY, WHICH IS HOMELESSNESS.

WE ARE SEEING THE DIRECT RESULT OF THAT.

>> HOW ARE YOU SEEING THE ISSUE GROW, THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS?

>> WE ARE SEEING IT IN THE PARKS, ON OUR STREETS, ON OUR BRIDGES.

I THINK WE ARE SEEING IT WITHIN OUR FAMILIES.

MY OWN FAMILY HAS SUFFERED FROM HOUSING INSECURITY .

DURING MY ELECTION , THEY HOUSED A FRIEND OF MINE.

I THINK IT IS PERVASIVE, PERSISTENT, AND BROAD.

THE COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASED AS HOUSING COSTS ARE INCREASING.

POVERTY IS INCREASING.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ALREADY HOMELESS.

>> WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN YOUR WARD?

>> THERE ARE SOLUTIONS WE ARE WORKING AT.

WE DO NOT HAVE A 24-HOUR SHELTER NEARBY.

WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THIS IS WHERE THEY FIND HOMES.

THIS IS WHERE THEY FIND COMFORT.

THE IDEA OF HAVING TO LEAVE THAT SPACE, THAT IS TRAUMATIZING.

CONSIDERING SHELTERS IN THE AREA, THAT IS ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS.

WE ALSO KNOW WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

CONTINUING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A TOP PRIORITY.

WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE RAPID HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE THOSE SUPPORTS AND ALLOW THESE PEOPLE TO FIND COMFORT.

WE WILL PARTNER, AT EVERY TERM, TO PROVIDE THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

>> WHAT KIND OF FUNDING WILL YOU NEED TO EVEN MAKE A DENT ?

>> WE NEED A PERMANENT REVENUE SOURCE.

WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A PERMANENT REVENUE SOURCE SO THAT HOUSING BECOMES A RIGHT IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, NOT A PRIVILEGE.

ONE TIME, THE PERMANENT RESIDENCY WILL ALLOW US THE FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD HOUSING.

>> YOU WORK WITH THE CHURCH RIGHT ACROSS THE ENCAMPMENT.

WHAT OTHER RESOURCES IN THE ENCAMPMENT DO PEOPLE NEED?

>> I THINK IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.

THE NUMBER ONE THING THEY NEED IS PERMANENT, SAFE, SECURE HOUSING.

AND THAT IS NOT THERE.

THERE IS PLENTY OF PUBLIC HOUSING THAT IS VACANT IN THIS CITY, AND WE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET THE RESOURCES THERE.

ALSO FROM FOOD TO CLOTHING TO PERSONAL ITEMS, ANYTHING WILL HELP.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MEDICAL AND HEALTH NEEDS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH LEGAL QUESTIONS AS WELL.

JUST GETTING AN I.D.

CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR MANY THAT THESE UN-HOUSED ARE FACING, KEEPING THEM FROM GETTING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.

>> WHAT OTHER AGENCIES HAVE A ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS POPULATION?

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND SUPPORT SERVICES IS CURRENTLY EXPLORING A WAY TO HELP PLAY A ROLE IN THIS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT EXIST THROUGHOUT THE 8th DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY SPACES AND PARCELS OF LAND THAT CAN BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I WILL BEGIN COUNTY MEDICATION WITH THE LAND AUTHORITY, TO TRY TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

>> YOU MENTIONED, BRINGING CHICAGO HOME, THAT PROPOSAL, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE ?

>> ABSOLUTELY, IT IS A PROPOSAL THAT SEEKS TO INCREASE THE BENEFITS THAT WE ALL PAY TAX WHEN WE PURCHASE A HOME.

IF THAT IS INCREASED BY 1.9%, IF YOU ARE PURCHASING A HOME FOR $1 MILLION OR MORE, THAT REVENUE ALONE WILL ALLOW US TO DEDICATE MORE RESOURCES FOR BUILDING HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS.

THAT WILL PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT HAVE HOUSING FACILITIES.

WE KNOW THAT PROVIDING RESOURCES IS NOT ENOUGH.

WE NEED WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, SUBSTANCE ABUSE SUPPORT.

THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW US TO DO BOTH.

>> DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD ALSO BE AN ADJOINING PROPOSAL ON A COUNTY LEVEL?

>> ABSOLUTELY , DURING THE FIRST SUBJECT MATTER HEARING IN BRING CHICAGO HOME, A WEEK AGO AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I ATTENDED THE HEARING AND I SENT A LETTER TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT I WILL BE TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNTY BOARD TO EXPLORE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT WE CAN ADDRESS FOR POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS AND EVERYTHING IN COOK COUNTY.

>> WHAT WAS IT THAT HELPED YOU FIND HOUSING?

>> WHAT HAPPENED IS, I AM A VIETNAM VETERAN.

I HAD PTSD.

THAT WAS AN INTERVAL PART OF MY BECOMING HOMELESS.

I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE VA STAND BEHIND ME, AND THEY SENT ME TO A THREE-MONTH PTSD PROGRAM IN THE CHICAGO AREA.

AND THEY PAID ME MY DISABILITY DURING THAT PERIOD.

THAT GOT ME OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS A VERY FORTUNATE RESOURCE.

I HAD THOSE AVAILABLE TO ME, BUT THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO MANY OF THE HOMELESS ON THE STREET.

I JUST WANT TO ADD, BEING HOMELESS IS A BRUTAL EXISTENCE.

OUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, OUR FAMILY , WE NEED TO GIVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE SECURE HOUSING.

>> CONGRESSMAN FUENTES, THE BRING CHICAGO HOME PROPOSAL, IS THERE ANY MOMENTUM TO PASS THAT ?

>> YES, I DO SEE THAT PASSING.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR TODAY IS TO PUT THIS QUESTION ON THE