10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Chicago

In 2003, Mayor Richard M. Daley endorsed the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in
 Chicago. The plan called for ultimately replacing the current system 
that provides shelter to people on an emergency basis with a model to move individuals into permanent housing with support services.

CCH supported the 10-Year Plan, which was to end at the close of 2012. However, we believe that the city did not commit the necessary resources to see it through, including development of enough affordable housing. We have a long way to go — for instance, as a gauge of the impact on families, Chicago Public Schools served 15,580 homeless students last year, 46 percent more than three years ago.

Based on lessons learned, Mayor Emanuel’s administration has asked advocates and providers to come up with a new strategic plan to address homelessness in Chicago for the next three to five years. CCH Policy Director Julie Dworkin was among those named to the Steering Committee of what is now called “Plan 2.0” Loyola University and the University of Chicago are completing an evaluation of the current 10-Year Plan that will give us data to work with as a new plan is crafted.

In November 2011, there will be two large public meetings, one for service providers and one for consumers — that is, homeless and formerly homeless people. These are an opportunity to give input into a larger planning process that will create the new plan. In January 2012 (Jan. 24-31), there will be a week-long “charette,” or community input session, where the toughest issues will be debated. The findings of the charette will be released on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, in a public meeting (time and date to be announced).

Now is the time for people to get involved to shape how the city tackles homelessness. Anyone with concerns about the current 10-Year Plan should take this opportunity to weigh in.

For more information, contact Policy Director Julie Dworkin at (312) 641-4140 or julie@chicagohomeless.org