Help Rehome our Unhoused & Restore Gompers Park

The Restore Gompers Park Coalition needs your support.

Our Mission is to Rehome the Unhoused and Restore Gompers Park.

We are Mayfair neighbors working together, using our collective voices to ensure that the unhoused in the tent encampments in Gompers Park are rehomed in suitable housing - with access to wrap around services inclusive of mental health therapists, drug dependency counselors, employment assistance and case workers. And to see that Gompers Park is restored to the safe and nature-filled space it once was so that everyone can enjoy it.

All donations will go toward lobbying for Mayoral approval of Rapid Rehousing for everyone currently living in tents. Funds collected will go toward offsetting printing costs, mailers sent to elected officials, holding community meetings along with activities designed to achieve our goal of Rapid Rehousing. Once this goal is achieved, remaining funds will be donated to the restoration initiatives planned for Gompers Park. A donation of any size can be made. We are asking for a minimum suggested $15 donation for a yard sign supporting this movement.

The Restore Gompers Park Coalition was formed late July of 2024.

PHASE 1 of our plan involved collecting 450 wet petition signatures requesting Rapid Rehousing and submitting those with resident impact statements to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Deputy Commissioners of Department of Family & Support Services and Chicago Parks District and 39th Ward Alderman Samantha Nugent. A media outreach campaign launched 9/10 coinciding with the delivery of the petitions. News segments aired the week of 9/10 on ABC, NBC, WGN, Telemundo, and Nadig News. Our membership on Facebook (@RestoreGompersParkCoalition) is now over 350 members - focused on providing regular updates on this initiative along with specific Call-to-Actions to our members in engaging elected officials and governmental agencies.

Coalition members have also been attending key Chicago official meetings - including the Parks District Commissioners Mtg 9/11 where petition hard copies were personally delivered to Superintendent Escareno, COO Patrick Levar and Board of Commissioners.

PHASE 2: launched the week of 9/16. The focus has been on maintaining awareness with communications directed to elected officials, attendance at key commissioner meetings, along with planned events with media focused on shining a spotlight on this public safety crisis faced by the unhoused and local residents.

PHASE 3: Throughout November and December, the Coalition has engaged with various departments that may have jurisdiction or connections to Gompers Park. This includes DFSS, DNR, EPA (where Coalition members have filed over 30+ complaints) , Chicago Police Department and more. Coalition committee members have spoken at Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners monthly meetings to raise awareness of the lack of enforcement of park district rules as well as the unsanitary and unsafe conditions of Gompers Park for those living in tents. Coalition members have also sent letters to be read at these board meetings. Regular calls-to-action (CTA) have been posted to the Restore Gompers Park Facebook of over 350+ members to engage in letter writing to elected officials , attending governmental meetings; engaging with hyperlocal organizations such as Mayfair Civic Association, the North Mayfair Improvement Association, the Gompers Park Advisory Council and Gompers Park Athletic Association.

Coalition members have conducted interviews with every major local television station and print publication in Chicago to shine a light on this issue, including, CBS 2 Chicago, NBC 5 Chicago , ABC 7 Chicago, WGN TV Chicago, Fox 32 Chicago, Fox National News, Chicago Univision, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Block Club Chicago, and Nadig Newpapers.

PHASE 4: Significant Round Table discussions have been organized and planned with State and Federal elected officials.

The first meeting, held in early December, involved local and state officials along with Alderman Nugent. During this meeting, we discussed state funding sources for affordable housing and wraparound services for individuals in the encampment. We also explored the processes used to identify and prioritize the needs of those in the encampment.

Our second meeting took place in mid-December with Congressman Quigley’s team. This meeting centered on collaborating with federal departments and securing funding grants to support the identification of properties for development of low-income housing on Chicago’s northwest side.

Both of these meetings allowed us to share our priorities and goals, while also providing valuable information to help us move forward with having wrap-around services delivered to the people in the encampment.

We remain fully committed to getting those in tents into suitable housing this winter, with support services to provide a continuum of care. Once this has occurred, the coalition will shift its focus to the restoration of Gompers Park.

Thank you for supporting the Restore Gompers Park Coalition in this important initiative.