The People Failed the Homeless in Chicago

 

Matthew 25:31-46 MSG
^31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
^34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me.’

^37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’  

It is so clearly written in the Christian Bible, how we should care for each other, that I sometimes am left to wonder why it can be so difficult to move people to feel compassion for those left stranded on the lower rungs of our society.

The Bring Chicago Home referendum failed to get the votes needed to pass, during the election held March 19, 2024. This referendum would have created a consistent revenue stream, estimated at $100M+ a year, to address homelessness in Chicago. It would have increased real estate transfer fees on properties that sold for a million dollars or more, and reduced fees on properties of less than a million dollars. 95% of property sellers would have realized a savings on these fees . . . yet it failed.

This was a grassroots effort that had been in the works for around 6 years. I have personally been involved with the work for several years, through the Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless. I've attended many rallies, addressed the Chicago City Council on a couple of occasions, and was working a poll location on Election Day. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement . . .

Unfortunately, as with most of our elections, I found the people I talked with at the poll, not very aware of the workings of the referendum, many simply regurgitating talking points from opposition advertising (most of which were either not true, flat out lies, or simply misleading). 

We aren't yet finished with the analysis of why the referendum failed, but you can be sure we will do a serious self-evaluation on this. In the end, as with so much good that folks try to do for "the least of these, [God's] children," big money, big lies, and hard hearts obstruct the way. In this case, the money that was spent on opposition advertising, spreading false information to confuse voters was one issue. The other, the hard heart part, was the fear and loathing that many in our community feel toward the migrants that have recently been bussed into Chicago, and their dread that this funding may have been used to help them.

Of one thing you can be sure, this fight isn't over. Chicago spends a pittance on the homeless among us compared to other cities of a similar size, and even cities much smaller. We need to do better, if not because Jesus asks this of us, then because it is simply the right thing to do. "To love your neighbor as yourself" is not unique to Christianity, but can be found in just about all holy books and faiths. 

We must do better . . .

Daryle Brown

Director of Social Justice

Matthew 25:41-43  (continued) 

^41-43 “Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,

I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

I was homeless and you gave me no bed,

I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,

Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’

⁴⁴ “Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’

⁴⁵ “He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’

⁴⁶ “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”