Chicago’s Homelessness Crisis: A City Grapples with a Tripling of its Unhoused Population
Chicago’s homeless population has more than tripled in the past year, mirroring a national trend of rising homelessness but on a drastically larger scale. While the nationwide increase of 18.1% is attributed largely to a lack of affordable housing, natural disasters, and a surge in migrants, Chicago’s exponential rise is primarily linked to the influx of migrants seeking asylum. The city’s official count estimates 18,836 people experienced homelessness in 2024, a stark contrast to the 6,139 recorded in 2023. However, the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness offers a significantly higher estimate of 76,375, incorporating those couch-surfing, doubling up in homes, and accessing services, though excluding the approximately 5,501 asylum seekers housed in city shelters.
This dramatic increase highlights the complex challenges facing the city. While the arrival of migrants played a significant role, experts emphasize that the underlying issue remains a severe shortage of affordable housing and the struggle to earn a living wage sufficient to cover housing costs. Doug Schenkelberg, executive director of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, stresses that the decrease in migrant arrivals does not equate to an improvement in the overall situation for the city’s unhoused population. The closure of shelters specifically for asylum seekers by the end of 2024, as announced by Mayor Brandon Johnson, is part of a broader effort to integrate the city’s shelter systems for both asylum seekers and long-term unhoused individuals into a unified “One System Initiative.”
The city’s strategies to combat homelessness include integrating shelter systems, exploring a $2 million rental assistance program, and leveraging tax increment financing (TIF) funds. However, the failure of the Bring Chicago Home referendum, which would have generated dedicated funding through a real estate transfer tax, represents a significant setback. Furthermore, the Chicago Housing Authority faces criticism for leaving hundreds of scattered-site units vacant and for slow progress in repairing neglected units, leaving residents on lengthy waiting lists. These shortcomings are amplified by the fact that family homelessness more than doubled in 13 communities affected by the migrant influx, including Chicago, according to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report.
The consequences of this housing crisis extend far beyond the individual level. Kevin Moore, Housing Committee Chair for the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), notes the significant impact on students whose families are unhoused. The instability affects school attendance and academic performance, highlighting the interconnectedness of housing insecurity and educational success. The CTU’s proposed contract includes initiatives to address this issue, such as expanding support roles within schools, creating affordable housing on vacant city lots, and collaborating with the city and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to provide housing or rental assistance to 20,000 CPS students and their families. However, contract negotiations between the CTU and CPS have stalled, raising concerns about the timeline for implementing these crucial measures.
While city officials like Chief Homelessness Officer Sendy Soto express optimism about new initiatives and a holistic approach, advocates like Schenkelberg argue that significantly more substantial and sustained funding is needed for permanent housing and support services to effectively address the scale of the crisis. The long-term success of Chicago’s efforts will depend on securing and effectively deploying the resources necessary to tackle this multifaceted challenge.