FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 22, 2025 

CONTACT:
Linsey Maughan
Director of Public Affairs 312.743.2031
linsey.maughan@cityofchicago.org

CITY OF CHICAGO AND DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND SUPPORT SERVICES ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO ‘ONE SYSTEM’ SHELTER INITIATIVE

In response to federal budgetary concerns, the South DuSable Shelter, located at 4900 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., will be decompressed and closed in the coming months, with current occupants relocating to other shelters in the system best able to meet their needs. In addition, Midway Shelter, which was already actively decompressing, will close on June 30. The City will announce additional shelter system adjustments later this summer.

CHICAGO, IL — The City of Chicago and Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) today announced that over the coming months, the City, DFSS and partner agencies will be implementing some changes to the City’s shelter system, also called the One System Initiative (OSI), to ensure the most cost-effective, equitable and inclusive operations possible in support of Chicago’s unhoused population. The City has identified closing the South DuSable Shelter as an effective means of absorbing necessary cost reductions, with additional shelter system changes to be announced. The decisions come in response to federal budgetary pressures now impacting many areas of state and local government.

The City will contract with existing service providers at the South DuSable Shelter in Hyde Park to continue operating the shelter for up to six months while DFSS works to decompress the shelter, ultimately resulting in the shelter’s closure at the end of decompression. The shelter’s current occupants, mostly families, will be relocated to other shelters best able to meet their needs throughout this transition.

Future plans for Midway Shelter are also pending. Midway has been decompressing in recent months and will close by June 30. The shelter, which was housing families, was slated to transition to a singles-only shelter over the coming months. Given the decision to close the South DuSable Shelter, plans for the future of Midway are on hold as the City works to determine the best possible configuration of available shelter options going forward. Updates on confirmed plans for future changes to OSI will be made public as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the City’s services for unhoused residents remain the same. Anyone experiencing or at risk of homelessness is encouraged to call the city’s 3-1-1 service line for shelter placement or 2-1-1 service line to learn about other available support options. These include food; connection to housing; substance abuse evaluation and treatment; mental health support and connections for treatment; verification of disability; and assistance with securing vital documents, including State ID cards.

The One System Initiative is a partnership of the State of Illinois, City of Chicago and community partners to unify the shelter system supporting new arrivals experiencing homelessness in the Chicago area and the shelter system that supports other community members experiencing homelessness.

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