Location of tent city in Chicago. | Cook County Assessor
Location of tent city in Chicago. | Cook County Assessor
The owners of tent city property in South Chicago are based in Markham in South Cook County.
The tent city is located on two parcels of land at 3708 S. California Ave. is owned by Barnacres Corporation.
The sites combined are worth nearly $4 million according to the Cook County Assessor’s Office.
They are located south of Adlai Stevenson Parkway/Interstate-55 at the intersection of S.California Ave. and W. 37th Place.
“Brighton Park Tent City property Owners are out in Markham …” SubXNews posted on X.
BARNACRES CORPORATION
16309 CRAWFORD AVE
MARKHAM, IL 60428
https://cookcountypropertyinfo.com/pinresults.aspx
3708 S CALIFORNIA AVE
CHICAGO, PIN:
16363150480000
https://maps.cookcountyil.gov/cookviewer/mapViewer.html#"
The Markham address for the Barnacres Corporation houses industrial companies, including Sanchez Paving.
Over the weekend protesters swarmed the area in a demonstration in opposition to the city's plan to build a migrant tent camp.
The protesters demanded more transparency, accountability, and local involvement in decisions regarding migrant shelters and camp locations.
Alderwoman Julia Ramirez alleged she was a victim of battery and one of her staff members was hospitalized during the incident.
Chicago residents have been calling for more community activism to prevent the continuation of such tent cities.
“The residents all need to band together and take action! For God's Sakes, you need to vote this progressive socialist alderwomen out of office,” Chet Payne said in response.
In September, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson granted a $29 million contract to Garda World to build tents for housing migrants.
That contract was scrutinized after the decision was made without debate in the City Council.
Critics raised concerns about the company's role in the crisis as Garda World not only constructs the shelters but also buses migrants to the city from elsewhere, prompting questions about potential conflicts of interest and transparency in the decision-making process.“
“I don’t think we know enough about any of this situation, least of all who we are getting in bed with to address the migrant situation,” 15th Ward Ald. Ray Lopez, a candidate for the 4th Congressional District, told NBC Chicago.
“Just finding out that we’re paying the same company responsible for shipping them here, to now be in charge of taking care of them, is like having the fireman both set the fire and extinguish it at the same time.”
The move to build such tent cities occurred as Johnson proposed the creation of "winterized base camps" with large tents to house migrants who are currently being accommodated in police stations.
At the time of the announcement around 2,200 illegal immigrants were planned to be moved from sheltering in the city’s police stations to the tent cities.
While this move is seen as an attempt to address the city's migrant humanitarian crisis, according to Block Club Chicago, some city officials and community leaders are concerned about the refugee camp-like appearance and its effectiveness in addressing the growing issue.
The proposal comes in response to an influx of migrants who have arrived in Chicago since Aug. 2022, primarily from Venezuela, as part of a protest by border state politicians, and the city is looking for alternative temporary solutions while more shelters are in development.
The city is continuing to seek federal aid and changes to federal immigration laws to address the situation.
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