Homeless encampment dismantled in Chicago's North Park neighborhood, about 20 displaced

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Park District dismantled a homeless encampment at a park on the city's Northwest Side Tuesday.

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Tensions were high at Legion Park as officials tore down almost all of the structures. Residents were packing as many bags of their things as they could.

Bulldozers brought down in seconds what took up to a year to build.

"I have been unhoused myself in the past, and I know how isolating and lonely it is and how threatening it is to have people, neighbors, cops, constantly threatening your way of life," advocate Lucia Mancini said.

The Chicago Park District said the decision did not come lightly. In a statement, a spokesperson for the district said safety became a concern after the "fire department responded to three fires this summer and five total this year."

"I think people are trying to stay warm, trying to do what they can, and it just gets out of hand quickly," neighbor Aaron Maura said.

One of those fires was recorded on a cell phone by a person who lives near the park.

On Tuesday, crews dismantling the encampment recovered several propane tanks.

Maura has lived in the North Park neighborhood for over seven years. He says he understands both sides of the issues, but emphasizes more programs need to be made for the community and for the unhoused.

The Chicago Park District says residents were warned of the cleanup at the beginning of August.

The Department of Family Support Services was on-site on Tuesday. DFSS said five residents accepted shelter, and others declined placement.

An estimated 20 people were displaced.

"We know that shelter system is overwhelmed," said Peter Dorman, an unhoused advocate. "We know that there is no emergency plan to add more beds beyond the 300 that were announced."

The park district said residents who were living in the park can still put up tents, but cannot put up structures due to safety hazards.

"Do we not understand that this process of displacement, that this so-called progressive city is enabling is only throwing people out into the street?" Dorman said.

It could take up to three days to remove the encampment along the west side of the Chicago River.

The operation in Legion Park was similar to other efforts in the 39th Ward to remove homeless encampments.

Alderwoman Samantha Nugent said in a statement, it's a step toward getting people into stable housing.

"The unhoused, it's unfortunate that they're unhoused, and they're hungry, and they don't have a job but something's got to be done with them," neighbor Bill Kinsella said.