For and Against BEDS

A man prepares his bed at the BEDS program location in Western Springs. Credit: Western Springs Patch (2011)

Brittany Grosser-Basile, News Editor
March 5, 2015

Here’s a list of reasons for and against the construction of the BEDS Plus homeless facility in La Grange that were stated at a Feb. 10 hearing in the La Grange Village Hall:

For

Against

· BEDS Plus already exists in La Grange (27 years). This building would help bring everything together into one location.· A very small percentage of police phone calls come in about homeless residents. For the past six months, one-third of the calls that related to homeless were about the same person.· The lot has been vacant for over 30 years.

· The building’s architecture incorporates that of downtown La Grange, such as tower feature on many buildings.

· The building will be put closer to Ogden Avenue rather than residential homes.

· Residents that live within 250 feet of the building would be able to help screen/select homeless residents to live there, and residents that previously resided in Lyons Township have preference.

· The construction of the building shouldn’t have an impact on any further area development because the area is already developed.

· Residents can’t be felons or sex offenders.

· Homelessness can happen to anyone.

· Homeless people are not bad people.

· Parents are concerned about safety of children walking to school and nearby church.· Bad for business (Brookfield Car wash has already has issues with homeless people camping out in self-washes and with purse snatching).· Took down the YMCA for the reason of too many homeless people. This is adding them a couple blocks down.

· It will draw homeless people from the 3.5 townships served into an affluent community.

· East La Grange already has issues going on, such as increased gang activity, drug dealing and two recent shootings, one of which was two blocks away from the proposed facility location.

· Even though the BEDS clients may not pose a threat to anyone, there is the thought in many people’s mind that they are dangerous and this could repel new residents from coming into La Grange.

· There’s already a lot of traffic going through that area, especially with the car wash. Car wash owner Bill Klump cited an accident of a homeless person walking out into the middle of the street to cross during an uncongested time (1:30 a.m.) and being hit by two cars, losing both of her legs.

· No plans for where the residents will go that are evicted from the shelter.

· There will be an alley behind the shelter bordering the residential homes, so it’s an area for homeless people to gather.

· Existing concerns with safety in library and Starbucks because of homeless people occupying them.