CHICAGO (CBS) — Mayor Brandon Johnson will ask the City Council next week to approve an additional $70 million in funding to cover the cost of providing shelter and other services to thousands of migrants.
Sources said the mayor’s office has been briefing alderpeople this week on the request, which will be presented to the City Council Budget Committee on Monday. If approved in committee, the full City Council would then take up the request on Wednesday.
According to published reports, the Johnson administration plans to tap $70 million from previous city surpluses to cover the added cost.
The City Council budgeted only $150 million to cover migrant expenses as part of the mayor’s budget plan for this year, and at the time Johnson acknowledged it would not be enough to cover the city’s costs for the whole year.
Johnson said he would seek additional funding from the state and federal government to help cover the city’s costs.
In February, Gov. JB Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced they would seek an additional $252 million from the state and county to help the city respond to the migrant crisis. Pritzker is asking lawmakers for an additional $182 million, and Preckwinkle is seeking $70 million from the county board.
According to published reports, Johnson initially agreed to ask the City Council for $70 million during a meeting with Pritzker and Preckwinkle in January, but later backed off.
As of Wednesday, more than 9,400 migrants were staying at city-run shelters in Chicago. Since the city’s migrant crisis began in August 2022, nearly 39,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Chicago.
In March, the city began evicting some migrants from city shelters after finally enforcing a long-delayed 60-day limit on shelter stays. The city has granted exemptions from the eviction policy to migrant families with children, allowing them to stay in shelters through the end of the school year.
Since the city began evicting migrants under the 60-day shelter limit, 101 migrants have been moved out of shelters, according to city data. It’s unclear how many of those have chosen to go back to the city’s migrant landing zone to reapply for shelter.
Region: Chicago,Politics,City: Chicago
via Politics – CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/EZ4kN8e
April 11, 2024 at 04:54PM
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