City's New Homelessness Strategy Focusing On Youths
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Emanuel administration has launched a new effort to reduce homelessness throughout the city, with help from the private sector, and a focus on young people.
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports Mayor Rahm Emanuel is committing city funds to support the construction of supportive housing complexes, with services for homeless mothers.
Nonie Brennan, who heads the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, said the city is spending $2.5 million to support efforts like a building under construction on West Chicago Avenue, designed to house homeless young mothers.
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"This plan is a path to solving homelessness in Chicago. This plan prioritizes the development of a seamless homeless system that is connected to all the other systems," she said.
That building will be run by the group New Moms.
New Moms president Audalee McLoughlin said, "Once complete, this facility will house 40 young families, headed by adolescent parents. It will nearly double our housing capacity, and it will increase Chicago's capacity to serve this community by 33 percent."
Cheryl Darling is a former New Moms client.
"New Moms did more than just give my daughter and I a place to live when we needed one. They encouraged me to finish school and find a job," she said.
Darling now has a degree in information technology, and works for a major bank.
Catholic Charities is taking over part of the city's mobile outreach program, and officials said they'll do it for half the cost, allowing the city to devote more money to homeless youth.
