Oak Park’s village board of trustees unanimously approved the submission of a grant application for more than $1.94 million to provide aid to asylum seekers in the village.
About $11 million in Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seekers Services funds is available exclusively to municipalities outside of Chicago, according to an Illinois Department of Human Services news release. The funds cannot be used, however, to transport the migrants to another municipality.
If granted, the money would allow Oak Park to help support migrants’ transition out of temporary shelter. The application will be reviewed by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, whom IDHS is partnering with to distribute the available funds.
An approval of this grant funding would be expected within five days, said Kira Tchang, human resources director and assistant village manager. Village staff intends to submit the application Wednesday.
City of Chicago officials have said it would be best for migrants in Oak Park to remain where they are rather than being transported to Chicago’s “landing zone,” Tchang said.
“Last time we spoke with representatives from Chicago, they indicated that shelters were full,” she said.
Asylum seekers staying at The Carleton of Oak Park Hotel and West Cook YMCA must leave by Feb. 29, an extension the village granted at the end of December. Officials had previously expected migrants to leave by Jan. 31.
The grant would provide access to shelter, traditional housing, food, legal assistance and other services such as mental health care or translation assistance. Village staff recommended ways to spend the grant funding, if received.
In those recommendations, about $1.2 million will fund a local nonprofit to operate a temporary shelter for four months. The shelter would be intended to aid about 80 to 120 asylum seekers, Tchang said, with a priority focus on women, children and families. This portion of the grant would also include food, transportation and other services such as language access.
Another $360,000 will fund legal services, such as legal fees and attorney retainers that would be in effect while a migrant is applying for asylum, temporary protected status or employment authorization.
In addition, $300,000 will fund short-term rental assistance, with $40,000 going toward administrative expenses.
The grant term is January 16, 2024, to June 30, 2024, according to officials. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus can also choose to fund only a portion of the money requested.
The village board also voted to extend the village’s emergency declaration until Feb. 29 in a 6-1 decision. Trustee Ravi Parakkat was the only dissent to the decision. Trustee Lucia Robinson said while she voted in favor of an extension, she will not continue to if another extension is requested.
Because the declaration was extended, the village manager, Kevin Jackson, can execute an agreement with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus without board consideration, if the grant application is approved.
An emergency declaration allows the village to remain eligible for related funding as it becomes available, Tchang said. The migrant situation continues to be an emergency, especially considering the recent extreme winter weather, she said.
“I’m not sure how long this crisis will continue and I feel like we should start normalizing it,” trustee Cory Wesley said.
The village so far has received $400,000 in SMASS grant funding and used $650,000 in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funding to aid migrants in the emergency shelter program. Cook County’s Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security also provided additional funding in the amount of $350,000.
“Our community has stepped up,” said village president Vicki Scaman. “We have set a solid example for how communities can really work together.”
