The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its audit of the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) outreach to encampments of people experiencing homelessness. OIG found that DFSS has found success in rapidly housing encampment residents who wish to pursue permanent housing using a “housing first” approach via its Accelerated Moving Events (AME) program. Further, DFSS follows the City’s policy for cleaning encampment areas, including notifying encampment residents in advance and providing notice before disposing of potentially abandoned items; the City’s off-street cleaning policy strives for balance between the health and safety of the public way and the needs and rights of encampment residents.
Specifically, OIG found that 94% of 238 encampment residents who attended an AME between November 2020 and May 2022 secured housing. Eighty-three percent were still housed on October 3, 2022. In an AME, people experiencing homelessness complete all the steps required to secure housing in one day. DFSS is the lead coordinator for AMEs to house encampment residents and works in collaboration with Chicago’s Continuum of Care, a network of homelessness service providers.
In its off-street cleaning practices, DFSS has balanced the needs of encampment residents while maintaining a safe and clear public way. DFSS works with the City’s Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) to provide seven days’ notice to encampment residents of upcoming monthly cleanings, and marks in advance items at encampments that may appear to be unattended to guard against accidental disposal of personal property. OIG found that, during the period of inquiry, DFSS did not permanently displace encampment residents from public spaces.
“Homelessness is a problem of tremendous scale and complexity, and there is a great deal more to do. Meanwhile, the City is doing good work—helping people experiencing homelessness to secure and keep housing, and managing encampments for the health and security of all Chicagoans, housed and unhoused,” said Deborah Witzburg, Inspector General for the City of Chicago, “There are important successes here in the City’s pursuit of effective and supportive responses to homelessness.”
Read the Report
Read the full report, released on, August 23, 2023.
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The mission of the independent and nonpartisan City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity by identifying corruption, waste, and mismanagement in City government. OIG is a watchdog for the taxpayers of the City and has jurisdiction to conduct inquiries into most aspects of City government. If you see misconduct, mismanagement, ineffectiveness, or inefficiency, we need to hear from you. For more information, visit our website at igchicago.org.
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About the Office of Inspector General
The mission of the independent and nonpartisan City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity by identifying corruption, waste, and mismanagement in City government. OIG is a watchdog for the taxpayers of the City and has jurisdiction to conduct inquiries into most aspects of City government.
If you see misconduct, mismanagement, ineffectiveness, or inefficiency, we need to hear from you.
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for the latest information on how OIG continues to fight fraud, abuse, and inefficiency in Chicago government.