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Elgin City Council considers housing plan after 'Tent City' fires

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Published  December 18, 2024 4:32pm CST
Elgin
FOX 32 Chicago

Elgin leaders to discuss housing options for homeless after recent fires

The Elgin City Council will look into offering housing for their homeless population.

The Brief

    • The Elgin City Council will discuss housing options for the homeless following recent fires at a local encampment.
    • Fires in Tent City destroyed several makeshift homes, prompting a proposal to relocate residents to a nearby motel.
    • The measure is temporary, with discussions underway about a year-round shelter for the unhoused.

ELGIN, Ill. - The Elgin City Council will meet Wednesday night to discuss offering temporary housing for the city’s homeless population after two recent fires devastated a local encampment known as "Tent City."

Tent City, a wooded area where 20 to 40 unhoused individuals live in tents or makeshift shelters, has been the site of two accidental fires in the past two weeks.

The first fire, on a cold and windy night earlier this month, destroyed five homes but caused no injuries. A week later, another fire damaged three more shelters. Both fires were reportedly caused by residents attempting to stay warm.

In response, the council will consider a resolution to work with the Lexington Inn and Suites to provide temporary shelter for those displaced. The motel is located about two miles from downtown Elgin and Tent City.

Rev. Dave Daubert, a local pastor, noted that economic and mental health stresses have increased the visibility of homelessness in the area.

"The need is greater, no question about that," he said, adding that not all unhoused individuals may accept the temporary shelter option.

The council is expected to begin discussions at 6 p.m. at City Hall. While tonight’s proposal is a short-term solution, there is growing interest in creating a year-round, full-service shelter for Elgin’s homeless population.

ElginNews