Report to recommend combining Chicago's homeless, migrant shelter systems

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Community leaders are expected to outline recommendations Thursday to combine the city's homeless shelter system with the system for migrants.

The move is expected to boost the city's effort to keep unhoused citizens off the streets.

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Deborah's Place, which helps women experiencing homeless with permanent housing and other services, is hosting the meeting where city and state officials along with stakeholders will unveil their plans to combine Chicago's legacy homeless shelter system wit h the system for migrants.

The One System Initiative is the newest effort by the city to help both the unhoused and asylum-seekers here in Chicago.

The effort comes after a months-long discussion between city and state officials and homeless and service advocates about how to turn the two systems into a unified shelter structure.

Chicago first opened a shelter system for migrants in early september 2022 after Texas Governor Greg Abott began sending asylum-seekers to the city to make a point about strained resources in border towns.

Homeless advocates have pushed the idea for a long time, saying it would serve both the unhoused and new arrivals with wrap around services like jobs, food and healthcare.

SEE ALSO: Chicago to close 3 migrant shelters by end of October, city says

Initial planning began in March.

Although executives with Deborah's Place aren't submitting any recommendations Thursday, but merely hosting the event, the organization's CEO Kathy Booton-Wilson, said.

"I think combining those two systems will increase efficiency and will allow those who are in the homeless service who have been doing this for many years to do what we do best, to help those who have newly arrived," Booton-Wilson said.

The phase one report will be released Thursday and will include the announcement of community recommendations.

Supporters said the one system proposal will provide thousands of beds for Chicagoans and new arrivals.