Elgin launches new webpage to keep residents informed on ‘Tent City,’ homelessness initiatives

Days after the third fire at the “Tent City” homeless encampment since early December, Elgin has launched a webpage to provide up-to-date information on their efforts to relocate the residents and offer ways people can help.

The “Homelessness Response” page on the city’s website, ElginIL.gov/EHR, features a donation portal, volunteer opportunities, updates on Tent City, a timeline of the city’s initiatives, a human services resource guide, a community partner directory and a list of frequently asked questions.

Elgin Director of Communications and Engagement Jeff Knox said the city wants to be transparent when it comes to what they’re doing at Tent City and how the money is being spent.

“We wanted to make a one-stop spot where all the information is easily accessible,” Knox said.

Firefighters were called to the site Saturday and found four to five structures in an approximately 1,000-square-foot area fully engulfed in flames.

Previous fires on Dec. 4 and Dec. 12 spurred the city into action, and officials quickly approved a relocation plan for residents and plans to demolish the encampment.

The city council approved a contract of up to $2.5 million on Jan. 8 to clean and remediate the roughly eight-acre site that has served as a homeless encampment for nearly 30 years.

The city also allocated $425,000 to relocate residents of Tent City to 50 rooms at the Lexington Inn & Suites for four months. So far, 39 people have agreed to the offer. The plan is to move them in next week.

Knox said people who have been looking for a way to help can use a donation portal to provide money that will go to purchase needs for Tent City residents, including personal hygiene items, as well as hotel stays and other critical resources.

People interested in volunteering can sign up for shifts at the city-sponsored warming shelter.

The page also provides a chronological overview of the city’s efforts to address homelessness and a list of organizations collaborating with the city.