Elgin homeless people currently being housed at the Lexington Inn & Suites will be allowed to stay through September thanks to a state grant awarded through the governor’s office.

The $418,000 grant is earmarked for the Association for Individual Development to fund the Elgin unsheltered pilot program, City Manager Rick Kozal told the Elgin City Council at Wednesday night’s meeting.

In addition to covering the cost of hotel rooms, the money also can be used for case management and for services like mental health treatment and housing assistance, Kozal said.

The residents were moved to the hotel following the January closure of a homeless encampment known as “tent city” set up along the Fox River off of Route 31. Initial funding allocated by the city allowed them to stay through April.

The city doesn’t “yet have a definitive, permanent solution for the relocation we provided for tent city,” Kozal said, but the additional funding, which Mayor Dave Kaptain helped secure, gives officials more time to find one.

Talks are underway with various property owners about securing a permanent shelter location, with the Lexington hotel being a viable option, he said. Elgin has an estimated 100 to 110 residents who are considered chronically homeless — about 40 who had been living in tent city and 65 using an emergency downtown shelter during the winter.

Councilman Corey Dixon agreed that the new funding gives them some breathing room as they look for a solution.

“We need to just have a plan,” he said. “We are trying to put together a plan.”

Not everyone is in agreement that the Lexington is a good location to house the city’s homeless. Several parents of students who attend the Elgin Math and Science Academy charter school, located across the street, have voiced concerns, and about 100 community members signed a petition in opposition.

“Why are we here?” EMSA parent Marcia Rodriguez said during an interview after the council discussion. “We were told at the beginning that this is going to have a hard stop at four months. Why is it being extended?”

There have been a number of police calls to the hotel on such issues as disorderly conduct, assault/battery and theft, Rodriguez said, citing data she found on the Elgin Police Department’s Transparency Hub.

“I think they are turning a blind eye,” she said. “They knew for years tent city was happening and was growing. … At what point does (the city) become accountable?”

Initially, the city moved 42 people to the hotel in January. Three have been evicted for violating rules of conduct, Kozal said at the meeting.

While initially officials said there had been 14 police calls to the hotel since January, Police Chief Ana Lalley told the council that the number is actually 100 — 21 in January, 45 in February and 34 in March.

Lalley didn’t break down the types of calls, but city officials previously said most dealt with trespassing.

Last year, there were 86 calls to the hotel over the same time period. The increase could be a result of the increased occupancy, she said.

The most serious incident occurred in mid-March when a hotel patron fled to the EMSA property when police tried to serve them with a warrant. The arrest was made on school property, about 50 feet from the Dundee Avenue/Route 25 entrance, Lalley said.

“It was handled very quickly and efficiently,” said the chief, noting that she contacted EMSA officials about the incident and followed up with Kozal.

On Wednesday, the council tentatively approved amending the city’s contract with Andy Frain Security to provide two security guards at the Lexington — one on site from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and another from 8 p.m. to midnight. The cost to the city will be $9,000 a month, far less than the $73,698 the city had been spending to provide 24-hour security since late January.

Elgin also has installed security cameras on the property and are waiting for Comcast to provide internet service.

An Elgin police officer will remain assigned to the hotel until the cameras are working, Lalley said.

While one parent wanted the city to declare the hotel a nuisance property based on the number of police calls, but Kozal said that ordinance only applies to people who are not taking care of their property.

“This is not the case in this instance,” he said.

Councilwoman Tish Powell thanked city staff, community partners, and the community for its outpouring of support and patience as the city goes through the process.

“I want people to understand we are trying,” she said. “We’re doing our best to work through this situation and work with people as humanely as we can.”

Homelessness is an issue across the United States, Powell said, but not all communities have taken the steps Elgin has to assist their residents.

“We’re going to make mistakes,” she said. “We’re not going to be perfect. This is a learning opportunity. But I think we are doing our best.”

As for the cleanup of tent city, ATI Restoration crews have removed 233 tons of debris from the 6-acre site at a cost of $2 million, $500,000 less than the city had expected to pay, Kozal said.

The property is being enclosed with a fence to prevent homeless people from moving back in, as some have tried to do, he said. No trespassing signs have been posted and police are allowed to arrest anyone who goes on the site.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

Originally Published: April 10, 2025 at 12:06 PM CDT