'Chicago is a disaster': Mayor Brandon Johnson slammed for lack of transparency on migrant housing expenditure

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has been under scrutiny for his failure to disclose the allocation of tax dollars intended for the housing of the city's growing migrant population.

The state of Illinois had established a dedicated webpage to enhance transparency in response to the migrant crisis. However, Chicago City officials have yet to reveal the exact amount of money being spent on each of the 27 shelters constructed for this purpose.

A recent investigation has revealed that nearly $1 million per week is being expended on just three such shelters, according to a report from the New York Post.

Regarding the funds disclosed by city officials, Immigration Committee Chair Alderman Andre Vasquez stated, "I think it's a bit more translucent than transparent."

He told the local news station, "You get some information, but not the full picture."

What was uncovered in the information provided by Chicago city officials?

Upon request by NBC Chicago reporters, the city officials inquired about the expenses at migrant shelters, providing complete documentation for only one-third of the shelters.

The information provided revealed that one former hotel was receiving over $344,000 every week to accommodate 1,500 migrants.

Additionally, the largest shelter in Pilsen costs taxpayers $38,000 for a single night, which translates to $280,000 per week and over $2.5 million for three months.

Over a similar three-month period, the Ogden shelter that housed 1,000 migrants cost taxpayers $1.8 million.

Furthermore, the city has disbursed over $200 million to Favorite Health Care Staffing, a company based in Kansas, and $45 million to Equitable Social Solutions for identifying potential shelter venues.

Nonetheless, these may not be the total amounts, as the city relies on private out-of-state firms to staff the shelters, and they are not obligated to disclose their earnings, as per NBC Chicago.

Mayor Johnson simply stated, "We are meeting you right where you are," and thanked the media for raising the issue of the lack of transparency.

According to Vasquez, he is currently investigating how to obtain "more mandated reporting from the government." Meanwhile, in New York, taxpayers paid $387 per day in February to house a single migrant family.

At its height in October 2023, when there were over 65,400 migrants in city care, that number was $5 lower. Since then, the cumulative average has been gradually falling, reaching $391 in November, $390 in December, and $388 in January.

Internet slams Chicago Mayor Brendan Johnson for not sharing migrant housing expenses

People on X skewered the Windy City Mayor for refusing to reveal precisely how much they have been spending on each of the city’s 27 shelters.

One X user remarked: “We will find out when he runs out of money and all city services are shut down."

Another user said: "I thought city budget reports and spending were public records."

Another user suggested: "Just house them in city halls."

One user wrote: "That’s a lot of money that could go to schools..."

Another X user remarked: "Chicago is a disaster."

Finally, this user tweeted: "He wanted a Sanctuary City, now he has it and he’s ignoring his own citizens in need…."

 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.