Mayor Brandon Johnson visits unhoused veterans at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson visited veterans experiencing homelessness Thursday at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.

Inside the center on the Near West Side is a unit designated to assist veterans experiencing homelessness. Johnson made it a point to stop by that unit, meeting patients and staff.

The visit comes as the mayor is urging support of a ballot question which would designate funds from a real estate transfer tax for combating homelessness. The city's migrant crisis continues to grow with an existing unhoused population.

The mayor's brother was not a veteran, but he died unhoused and struggling with addiction.

"This is something that touches every aspect of our city, and it cuts across multiple communities," Johnson said. "Here's an opportunity for Chicago to come together for its most vulnerable population."

The mayor also listened to administrators, advocates and patients.

Ephrium Bell was among the patients who addressed the panel. After experiencing homelessness, he said he tries to help others.

"My heart goes out when I see people like that," Bell said. "I try to reach out them and let know, 'maybe you can go to Jesse Brown. I'll go with you.'"

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"They helped me with housing substance abuse then they took care of my medical needs so this is the facility," VA patient Richard Brown said.

Nicole Bowden came to VA for help nine years ago, and now she is a VA peer support specialist.

"It can be discouraging at times, so we need some support," Bowden said. "I had support I had a team of people and now I am part of that team to help other veterans."

Those ABC7 spoke with at the healthcare for homeless veterans program at the VA hope for even more resources, whether it comes from new city funding or not.