Elgin’s ongoing problem with homeless residents came to a head this winter when three fires at an encampment along the Fox River exposed the dangers of having people living outside and using makeshift heating devices to keep warm.

While the problem for many of the city’s unhoused residents was resolved temporarily by moving those living in “tent city” and other areas into a hotel until April, the bigger issue of how to deal with the situation long term remains.

As we head toward the April 1 election, The Courier-News asked the eight candidates running for four, four-year terms on the Elgin City Council — incumbents Steven Thoren, Dustin Good and Corey D. Dixon and challengers Maggie Beyer, Cecilia Ivana Brooks, Diana Alfaro, Erik Bosque Peña and Mark W. Smith — what they think should be done.

The question posed was: “Come April, the homeless people housed at an Elgin hotel this winter will need to find new accommodations. How do you propose finding a permanent solution for this problem and preventing more encampments from being created by people who might not have any other options?”

The candidates’ answers are listed in alphabetical order and published as submitted.

Diana Alfaro

While meeting residents throughout our community, a consistent concern has emerged: addressing homelessness effectively. This concern was also highlighted in the Main Street America Transformation Strategy report as a key challenge for downtown Elgin. As the National Alliance to End Homelessness emphasizes, the most effective solution requires “a community-wide coordinated approach to delivering services, housing, and programs.” I propose developing this comprehensive strategy by:

1. Creating a Coordinated Task Force bringing together social service organizations, mental health professionals, the Housing Authority of Elgin, city staff, residents, and business owners to develop solutions that are both compassionate and effective.

2. Implementing Rigorous Evaluation Measures to track outcomes and ensure our approaches are producing meaningful results.

3. Expanding Economic Opportunities by leveraging my professional economic development experience to create pathways to employment and financial stability.

4. Increasing Affordable Housing by incorporating affordable units into future developments and exploring creative housing solutions.

This multi-faceted approach addresses both immediate needs and underlying causes of homelessness. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, implementing data-driven solutions, and connecting housing initiatives with economic opportunity, we can create lasting positive change that strengthens our entire community.

Maggie Beyer

Housing is often a prerequisite to effectively treating chronic homelessness. I am hopeful that their stay at Lexington will make them feel ready to change their lifestyle. I am confident that having access to a daily hot shower, a bed, and a place of their own will make them realize how much better off they are now, and they will have feelings of self-worth. I think while they are there we should talk to and offer them employment. I know mental health issues are being address by agencies.

There is a program called Built for Zero Community Solutions that Rockford, IL, utilized in treating the veterans and the chronic homeless. They currently have functional zero homelessness. Another 140 cities in the USA also have had the same result with this program. Why reinvent the wheel? Use what has been proven successful.

Erik Bosque Peña

The comment regarding the homeless situation that stuck with me was the phone call that our neighboring city’s mayor gave to ours admitting that they were sending the homeless to our city because of the services we provide already.

I think that a solution to a more permanent accommodation could be had by asking the surrounding cities for their assistance in not only allocating a budget but for additional resources. This is an everyone problem across the country and not unique to Elgin. The empathy that Elgin has shown should resonate with our surrounding suburbs and make them want to come together to form a collective in the fight against homelessness. One city can’t do it on its own, and we should embrace the motto “it takes a village” to get things done.

I am a realist, however, and understand that free will plays a major role in the decisions some of these folks make but all we can do is try and reach those who are ready to make a change.

Cecilia Ivana Brooks

To provide real, lasting solutions, we need to first understand that this is a multifaceted issue. Homelessness is one of the most talked about issues, but there are residents who are also facing a variety of different issues on a day-to-day basis. Our residents are also struggling with substance abuse, addiction, and mental health disorders. We, as a city, should proactively seek funding from various sources, including the local, federal, state, nonprofit/private resources to better equip our residents with the resources necessary to live healthy lives as contributing members of society. We need to support our homeless residents and ALL our residents by providing an array of job resources, education and information, and mental health crisis counseling, amongst other areas.

Corey D. Dixon

I’ve always said, how a community treats its most vulnerable is a reflection on what that community believes about its people. Based on successful approaches used in other municipalities and expert recommendations, my strategy is to create a comprehensive, compassionate, and sustainable plan that transitions individuals from temporary shelter into permanent housing while preventing further encampments. Here’s how:

Expand Affordable Housing Options: I propose partnering with local developers, non-profits, and government agencies to identify and convert underutilized properties into permanent supportive housing or transitional living facilities. This rapid expansion of affordable housing is essential to provide stable living conditions for those in need.

Integrate Wraparound Support Services: It’s not just about a roof over someone’s head. We must offer holistic support -including mental health care, substance abuse treatment, job training, and other social services -to address the underlying issues that contribute to homelessness. This integrated model has proven effective in other cities and can help ensure that individuals not only secure housing but also achieve long-term stability.

Proactive Outreach and Prevention: By establishing proactive outreach programs, we can engage at-risk individuals before encampments form. These programs would work with community organizations to identify those in need and connect them with housing resources and support services early on, thereby reducing the likelihood of people resorting to makeshift encampments.

Secure Diverse Funding Sources: To ensure these initiatives are sustainable, I advocate leveraging federal, state, and private funding, along with exploring public–private partnerships. This diversified funding approach will help fill any budgetary gaps without resorting to measures that could harm city services or employees.

Community-Centered and Compassionate Approach: I firmly believe in solutions that prioritize people over punitive measures. Criminalizing homelessness isn’t a solution; instead, we must invest in programs that empower individuals, helping them reintegrate into the community and thrive.

This multi-pronged approach not only addresses the immediate need for permanent housing as the Lexington hotel’s temporary accommodations end, but also builds a foundation to prevent future encampments, as well as the present ones. It’s about creating lasting, positive change for all residents of Elgin.

Dustin Good

Addressing homelessness in Elgin requires both immediate interventions and long-term systemic solutions, neither approach alone is sufficient.

For immediate needs as temporary shelter options end, I support expanding partnerships with local organizations to create transitional housing options. During my first term, I advocated for utilizing available resources to fund these transitional solutions while more permanent housing is developed.

Long-term, we need a comprehensive strategy that includes:

1. Supporting the development of housing that pairs units with on-site services addressing the root causes of homelessness, including mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and economic instability.

2. Strengthening our homeless prevention programs by expanding rental assistance and case management services to help vulnerable residents maintain housing stability before they experience homelessness.

3. Enhancing coordination between city departments, social service agencies, healthcare providers, and community organizations to create seamless pathways from street to stable housing.

4. Reviewing our zoning and land use policies to remove barriers to developing the varied housing types needed.

5. Implementing evidence-based interventions such as Housing First models that have proven effective in communities nationwide.

I recognize that preventing encampments requires both compassionate assistance and appropriate enforcement. By creating viable housing alternatives and connecting individuals with comprehensive services, we can address the underlying conditions that lead to homelessness while ensuring public spaces remain safe and accessible for all community members.

Mark W. Smith

Regarding the homeless issue, my plan is to adopt a long-term approach in partnership with social service agencies. Recognizing the complexity of homelessness, I propose implementing a no public camping ordinance in the city of Elgin to enhance public safety and community well-being. This ordinance will be complemented by the establishment of a dedicated brick-and-mortar location that provides short-term housing solutions. Moreover, this facility will host co-located services that focus on employment counseling, training, and placement to facilitate economic independence. Essential medical and mental health resources will also be integrated into this initiative, ensuring a holistic approach to support. Through these comprehensive measures, our goal is to transform the lives of our homeless population by providing the necessary tools and resources to transition from homelessness to stable housing, fostering a healthier, more inclusive community for all residents.

Steve Thoren

The homeless situation is not just Elgin, it’s everywhere. We were already working on the Lexington Hotel as an option when the fires took place. After three fires, the timeline was escalated as we addressed safety as the primary reason for the transfer of the 41 people to the hotel. We have addressed the needs of all, from making sure they had access to food, in fact even the Elgin Breakfast Rotary helped buy a freezer to help them with their food. They are meeting with counselors daily with hopes that some will someday filter back into society. The city now has a ‘Homeless Coordinator’, which is a big step in addressing the situation. As mentioned earlier, we are hoping for more grant funding to help with the extended time after the initial agreement is met. The city team is working diligently on the situation every day to address the ticking clock, but it’s important to realize that by working with these residents, and helping them regain a sense dignity, that their opportunity to move back into society keeps improving. Also of note, the city will be addressing homeless individuals in other areas of the city as well. Elgin is very lucky to have Pads which does such a wonderful job helping so many homeless individuals and families.

(Go to www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/17/elgin-council-election-april-candidates-bio-questionnaire to read the candidates’ answers to several election questions posed by The Courier-News.)

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.