Updates
08/18/2026 – Dear community, the 33rd Ward Office has a few updates to provide about our work to coordinate a safe living environment for our neighbors living the Ronan Park encampment and in the surrounding area:
8/17 Tent Fire and Response
Yesterday our office was made aware of a fire in the Ronan Park encampment. We share in everyone’s concern for the safety of our neighbors at the encampment, in nearby homes and apartments, and in the public way. We thank our neighbors for reaching out to our office to let us know about this incident, and for expressing your deep concerns about the risk of such fires impacting the safety and wellbeing of our community.
Upon learning of the fire, our office contacted the Chicago Park District to inform them of the remants of the fire, which occured on Park District property. In collaboration with the Park District, our office has been in communication with the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, and Mayor’s Office of Health and Human Services to direct all necessary resources toward cleanup of the fire and crisis stabilization at the encampment. We are relieved to hear that none of our neighbors were harmed and an investigation is underway as to the cause.
As part of our office’s longterm strategy to reduce the risk of fires at the encampment, which is a very real and regular risk at encampments in any location and of any size, we remind the neighbors that use of propane tanks is not allowed. We also remind neighbors that storage tents are not allowed as they pose a much greater risk of catching fire. The use of propane tanks and the existence of storage tents at Ronan Park is under constant scrutiny by Chicago Park District and partners, and is against policy regulations.
We understand the real concerns of our community, and will continue to coordinate with all partners and agencies to ensure the safety of all neighbors. Please do continue to keep our office informed of any concerns you have about community safety, so that we can work expeditiously to address them.
Security Camera on Site
This past weekend a camera was installed on site at the Ronan Park encampment. This security camera was installed through the Chicago Park District and is not a police camera, Flock camera, or connected to any external surveillance entity outside of the Chicago Park District. The camera was installed on site at the discretion of the Park District due to ongoing reports of fires on site and increased reports of community safety risks.
The 33rd Ward Office will maintain close communication with the Park District about any reports made using camera footage. We have received the following information from the Park District about the camera:
- This is an internal Chicago Park District camera. The information gathered is internal to the Park District. Footage is only accessible outside of the Park District security team via a court warrant for an active investigation.
- The camera is not accessible via Department of Homeland Security or any federal immigration enforcement agencies without an active warrant. The camera is protected by all City of Chicago and Park District policies to protect our immigrant neighbors.
- The camera is not a Flock camera.
- The camera has a safety alert functionality to maintain a 10’ perimeter around the camera base. A perimeter fence was installed the Park District to prevent neighbors walking through the perimeter and triggering the safety alert announcement. The camera does not have other audio capabilities.
Sustained Outreach to Encampment Residents
Our office continues to appreciate ongoing engagement from many of our neighbors regarding concern for the longterm wellbeing of encampment residents. We understand this has been a long process, with many factors to consider, and many moving parts. We appreciate the kindness, generosity, and patience of so many neighbors, and for your collaboration to provide care and a sense of community to our neighbors struggling toward the next phase of their lives.
In the past several weeks, our office has been working in collaboration with neighbors, the Chicago Park District, Mayor’s Office of Health and Human Services, Department of Family and Support Services, the Coalition to End Homelessness, and many other community partners to review and refine the Chicago Park District and city policies related to encampments. This coordination has produced great progress in updating policies to ensure necessary resources are directed toward housing our unhoused neighbors. There is much work to be done, but we are encouraged by progress and look forward to more work together.
As we all know, transitioning into housing from living unsheltered is a long, complex, and deeply personal journey for each of our neighbors. In the past month, our office has worked to coordinate a more regular presence at the encampment, to deepen our relationships with neighbors, to help connect people to mental health resources and sustained treatment, encourage proactive steps toward housing, and discuss other employment and healthcare needs. This work is possible due to incredible partnerships that allow us to expand our ward office’s mission beyond delivering quality constituent services into a social services and case management office.
Neighbors may have noticed a now-weekly event on Thursdays at the encampment, where the Puerto Rico Project provides a setup for residents to take showers and get connected to mental health and addiction treatment services. Our office partners each week with a local restaurant or business to provide food for this event. If you would like to join our list of partners, please reach out to our office at your convenience.
Beginning last week, we received an update from the Department of Family and Support Services that they would be on site for wraparound housing, health and employment services starting weekly on Fridays. This outreach is in addition to their daily coordination with city partner organizations to care for neighbors at the encampment. Our office will continue to partner with DFSS to support their efforts in any way possible.
We are also continuing to explore other partnerships that would allow us to be present on other days of the week, and look forward to providing those updates in the near future. Our interest continues to be helping our neighbors transition into sustainable housing, and we are committed to directing any necessary resources to help that process move forward.
We encourage our neighbors to get involved. If you would like to help, please reach out to our office. We are in particular need of food donations for our weekly events. We are also continuing to collect helpful items like bottled water and ice through the summer months.
07/08/2026 – The Alderwoman and members of the team were proud to participate in the ribbon-cutting for the new Ronan Park Plaza. We were joined by the Chicago Parks District, North River Commission, Global Gardens and several elected officials to celebrate this project which has been years in the making. The renovation was collaboratively organized between North River Commission, the Chicago Park District, Greenprint Partners, Perkins & Will, Metropolitan Planning Council, Global Gardens, our ward office, and residents.
06/23/2026 – The Ronan Park cleaning went smoothly, organized by the City of Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services and the Chicago Park District. Our ward office also coordinated with encampment residents and community organizers.
06/16/2026 – The Alderwoman and members of the team visited the encampment and partnered with Kabobi Persian and Mediterranean Grill, who generously donated food for a community distribution.
Moments like this are a core part of our daily, hands-on efforts to look out for everyone in our ward. While there, our team engaged in very productive dialogue with encampment residents about the recent collective decision to establish a limit on new tents and arrivals. We are working incredibly hard to balance compassion with public safety; keeping the encampment at a manageable size is vital to ensure that we can provide individualized attention to residents, reduce conflict and promote the safety of everyone. This cap allows us to maintain a stable environment while we push forward on the difficult, urgent work of connecting these individuals with permanent housing.
06/15/2026 – The City of Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services and the Chicago Park District have scheduled a routine cleaning of the Ronan Park encampment the morning of June 23, which our office will attend.
06/12/2026 – Our Director of Housing visited the park to check-in on encampment residents. We also had a visit from an encampment resident at our office.
06/10/2026 — We met with other agencies to identify buildings and revenue to provide housing, shelter, and support services for encampment residents. Additionally, our Director of Housing visited the encampment today and canvassed the area with the Alliance of Service Organizations (ALSO), which is an anti-violence non-profit organization. ALSO has committed to working alongside our office to collaborate with neighbors and residents.
06/08/2026 — Ward staffer visited the encampment, meeting some of the encampment residents and providing check-ins.
06/05/2026 — Ward superintendent visited the encampment to drop off a rake and other cleaning supplies for residents who are engaged in keeping the encampment clean.
06/04/2026 — The alderwoman visited the encampment.
05/29/2026 – Our Director of Housing visited the park to check-in on encampment residents.
05/28/2026 – 05/19/2026 – Encampment residents have intermittently visited our ward office for support.
05/18/2026 – The Ronan Park cleaning went smoothly, organized by the City of Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services and the Chicago Park District. Our ward office also coordinated with encampment residents and community organizers.
05/09/2026 – Members of our staff met with encampment residents and organizers in preparation for the scheduled cleaning on May 18.
05/08/2026 – The City of Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services and the Chicago Park District have scheduled a routine cleaning of the Ronan Park encampment the morning of May 18, which our office will attend.
DFSS has offered housing to 4 people, all of which have accepted and moved into their respective units. DFSS is waiting for more units to be allocated.
04/28/2026 – The Chicago Police Department has requested the postponement of the April 30 cleaning of Ronan Park, until after services have been held for the 17th District Officer recently lost in the line of duty. While there is no new date yet for the cleaning, it is anticipated to be in approximately 2 weeks.
04/27/2026 – The City of Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services and the Chicago Park District have scheduled a routine cleaning of the Ronan Park encampment the morning of April 30, which our office will attend. Our office has been meeting with relevant agencies to better understand their plan for the cleaning and we encourage our neighbors to contact our office with any questions. You can learn more below.
Context
This page will be used to provide regular updates
We have received many residents from the former Legion Park encampment into our ward as they wait for their assigned housing. I understand that this encampment has caused great concern for many neighbors. When this community moved into our local park, my office began working in close, daily collaboration with many local organizations, mutual aid groups, nonprofit agencies, and government partners to ensure that our neighbors most in need receive the care, attention, and resources they deserve.
Our communities, our city, and our country are facing an extreme housing crisis due to challenging and complex issues, including rising rents, barriers to accessible housing, systemic racism, and economic inequality. These challenges have been compounded by federal cuts to social services and a violent immigration enforcement campaign.
The work of this office has always been centered on fighting for fact-based, human-centric solutions that benefit our ward and our city. That is why I supported Bring Chicago Home to address homelessness by taxing the rich to build more affordable housing. That is why I have championed addressing mental health crisis, whether at home or on the streets, through Treatment Not Trauma (TNT) and the Crisis Assistance Response & Engagement Program (CARE). That is why I recently introduced a resolution in support of Overdose Prevention Sites, to provide compasionate care for people who use drugs, while providing supervised spaces so people would not use in public.
More immediately, we have also welcomed the encampment residents into our office, giving them time to rest in our mini-living room, while connecting them with job opportunities, and other services.
My office’s position remains that all of our neighbors deserve safe, accessible, dignified, healthy, and affordable housing. The pathway to finding housing is different for all of us, and I am grateful for the incredible community that has been organized to provide help. This is ongoing work, and we remain committed to meeting people where they are and supporting pathways forward.
Key Takeaways
- Our office holds relationships with encampment residents and is regularly checkin on our neighbors to provide support
- Several encampment residents have already received housing
- Many others are on a clear path toward housing
- Our ward superintendent is checking in on a daily basis
- Our office is in close communication with all relevant city departments, the Mayor’s office, and the Park District to understand essential policies impacting the encampment, and ensuring encampment residents receive the care they deserve.
Resources
You can contribute to local groups who have been providing Mutual Aid to encampment residents:
You can also volunteer with our office for community cleaning and outreach regarding this matter:
- 773-840-7880
- info@33rdward.org