Urgent: Protect Hyde Park-Kenwood! Oppose The Permanent 750+ Bed Lake Shore Shelter
Urgent: Protect Hyde Park-Kenwood! Oppose The Permanent 750+ Bed Lake Shore Shelter
The Issue
After Signing the Petition, Donate to hire a legal team:
If every supporter donates just $25, we will reach our goal to hire an attorney and cover legal fees: Donate: https://gofund.me/b5056e73
Legal action is the only way to stop the clock. Your donation funds:
- A legal team to file a lawsuit and injunction
- Public records requests to uncover what the City isn’t telling us
- Filings and motions to stop the RFP process in court
Why $32,000?
- $25,000 covers the legal retainer for litigation including an injunction
- $7,000 covers FOIA work, filings, expert review, and legal prep
If 1,000 neighbors chip in just $25, we’ll have the legal firepower to stop this plan before it becomes permanent.
Why We Need Legal Help The City is rushing to award a long-term contract through a Request for Proposal (RFP) to permanently operate the shelter — without public hearings, transparency, or zoning relief. Once that contract is signed, it becomes much harder to challenge.
What’s At Stake
- If this shelter becomes permanent:
- There will be no zoning hearing or public input
- The shelter will house 760+ long-term residents in a dense residential area
- Neighborhoods like ours will continue to be excluded from key decisions
We’re already seeing:
- Sanitation issues and loitering
- Overcrowded local schools
- No transparency about inspections, traffic, or public safety plans
What's Already Done
- Collected 1,102+ petition signatures
- Packed a 300-person town hall
- Secured public support from Alderman Desmon Yancy and State Rep. Curtis Tarver
EMERGENCY COMMUNITY ALERT: TOWN HALL MEETING – ACT NOW, HYDE PARK! A 760-Bed Shelter Is Being Made Permanent Without Your Input
🗓️ Monday, March 31, 2025
🕕 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Nichols Park – 1355 E. 53rd St., Chicago, IL 60615 🅿️ Free parking at 54th & Dorchester
📸 Media will be present
Who We Are:
We are Hyde Park-Kenwood residents committed to the well-being and future of our community. Our current focus is on the lack of transparency regarding the planned transformation of the Chicago Lake Shore Hotel into a permanent 760+ bed homeless shelter without sufficient community input.
📧 Contact us: PreservingHydePark@gmail.com
Our Mission:
We advocate for transparency, accountability, and meaningful community input regarding this significant development. We believe Hyde Park-Kenwood residents deserve to have a say in whether this shelter is a realistic and desirable long-term addition to our densely populated neighborhood.
What You Need to Know:
The Chicago Lake Shore Hotel/Shelter, 4900 S. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago IL 60615, which was originally presented as a 6-month temporary emergency shelter has been incorporated into the One System Initiative (Chicago.gov) as of January 1, 2025, under Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration.
The shuttered hotel is privately owned by Tesh Patel, who has profited from leasing his hotel to both the city and state.
The plan is to convert this facility into a permanent shelter serving over 760+ unhoused individuals, affecting the character and resources of Hyde Park.
What This Means for Our Neighborhood:
Hyde Park-Kenwood and surrounding areas are already densely populated. The proposed shelter could significantly impact our quality of life, safety, infrastructure, and property values.
Happening in our community now:
🚶♂️ Increase in neighborhood foot traffic and loitering
🏡 Safety concerns for residents, families, and businesses
🗑️ Sanitation issues: more garbage, increased rat infestations, and public urination/defecation
🚨 Noise disturbances: More emergency calls leading to frequent sirens and disruptions
🛠️ Unregulated activities: Haircuts, food vendors, and car repairs in parks and side streets
🍾 Public alcohol and drug use
🎨 Increase in graffiti and property damage
🚗 Parking struggles: Further reduction of already scarce spaces
📉 Potential property value decline (up to 17%)
1,681
The Issue
After Signing the Petition, Donate to hire a legal team:
If every supporter donates just $25, we will reach our goal to hire an attorney and cover legal fees: Donate: https://gofund.me/b5056e73
Legal action is the only way to stop the clock. Your donation funds:
- A legal team to file a lawsuit and injunction
- Public records requests to uncover what the City isn’t telling us
- Filings and motions to stop the RFP process in court
Why $32,000?
- $25,000 covers the legal retainer for litigation including an injunction
- $7,000 covers FOIA work, filings, expert review, and legal prep
If 1,000 neighbors chip in just $25, we’ll have the legal firepower to stop this plan before it becomes permanent.
Why We Need Legal Help The City is rushing to award a long-term contract through a Request for Proposal (RFP) to permanently operate the shelter — without public hearings, transparency, or zoning relief. Once that contract is signed, it becomes much harder to challenge.
What’s At Stake
- If this shelter becomes permanent:
- There will be no zoning hearing or public input
- The shelter will house 760+ long-term residents in a dense residential area
- Neighborhoods like ours will continue to be excluded from key decisions
We’re already seeing:
- Sanitation issues and loitering
- Overcrowded local schools
- No transparency about inspections, traffic, or public safety plans
What's Already Done
- Collected 1,102+ petition signatures
- Packed a 300-person town hall
- Secured public support from Alderman Desmon Yancy and State Rep. Curtis Tarver
EMERGENCY COMMUNITY ALERT: TOWN HALL MEETING – ACT NOW, HYDE PARK! A 760-Bed Shelter Is Being Made Permanent Without Your Input
🗓️ Monday, March 31, 2025
🕕 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Nichols Park – 1355 E. 53rd St., Chicago, IL 60615 🅿️ Free parking at 54th & Dorchester
📸 Media will be present
Who We Are:
We are Hyde Park-Kenwood residents committed to the well-being and future of our community. Our current focus is on the lack of transparency regarding the planned transformation of the Chicago Lake Shore Hotel into a permanent 760+ bed homeless shelter without sufficient community input.
📧 Contact us: PreservingHydePark@gmail.com
Our Mission:
We advocate for transparency, accountability, and meaningful community input regarding this significant development. We believe Hyde Park-Kenwood residents deserve to have a say in whether this shelter is a realistic and desirable long-term addition to our densely populated neighborhood.
What You Need to Know:
The Chicago Lake Shore Hotel/Shelter, 4900 S. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago IL 60615, which was originally presented as a 6-month temporary emergency shelter has been incorporated into the One System Initiative (Chicago.gov) as of January 1, 2025, under Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration.
The shuttered hotel is privately owned by Tesh Patel, who has profited from leasing his hotel to both the city and state.
The plan is to convert this facility into a permanent shelter serving over 760+ unhoused individuals, affecting the character and resources of Hyde Park.
What This Means for Our Neighborhood:
Hyde Park-Kenwood and surrounding areas are already densely populated. The proposed shelter could significantly impact our quality of life, safety, infrastructure, and property values.
Happening in our community now:
🚶♂️ Increase in neighborhood foot traffic and loitering
🏡 Safety concerns for residents, families, and businesses
🗑️ Sanitation issues: more garbage, increased rat infestations, and public urination/defecation
🚨 Noise disturbances: More emergency calls leading to frequent sirens and disruptions
🛠️ Unregulated activities: Haircuts, food vendors, and car repairs in parks and side streets
🍾 Public alcohol and drug use
🎨 Increase in graffiti and property damage
🚗 Parking struggles: Further reduction of already scarce spaces
📉 Potential property value decline (up to 17%)
1,681
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on March 3, 2025