The Chicago Reporter blog
November 13, 2009
New Money for the Homeless
By Amalia Oulahan

Last week, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced that the city will increase the funds for programs to prevent homelessness in the city by $1.4 million over the next two years.

The money will be drawn from the city’s lease of parking meters, replacing the pot of funds coming from the lease on the Chicago Skyway that will end at the end of the year.

“Funding for the plan is staying level, and the dollars that had been provided out of the Skyway fund are now being provided out of the parking meter fund,” said Jim Lobianco, deputy commissioner of homeless services at the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services.

Julie Dworkin, director of policy at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, said the parking meter lease funding will be used to create at least one new program -- increase in the number of shelter beds.