Chicago crews clear out last tents of homeless encampment at Gompers Park, near Pulaski Road, Bryn Mawr Avenue, in North Park

CHICAGO (WLS) — City crews were at a Northwest Side park Monday clearing out the last tents set up at a homeless encampment.

The city’s decision to clear the encampment at Gompers Park was expected, with previous delays already noted. The park is situated at Pulaski Road and Bryn Mawr Avenue.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Three months ago, residents were informed about the move, and most have since been relocated to private apartments or temporary shelters while waiting for permanent housing.

Crews began clearing the area right around 9:30 a.m.

By noon, it was empty.

Currently, there are still some tents in the park, mainly being used for storage. However, a few individuals are still residing in them. The city, led by Chicago Park District Superintendent Carlos Ramírez-Rosa, is assisting these individuals in finding alternative accommodation within the park due to upcoming construction work on a nature play space that has faced delays.

Lagoon restoration work and resurfacing of the parking lot will also take place.

RELATED: Chicago holding ‘Accelerated Moving Event’ Wednesday for those living in Gompers Park

“We’ve said, ‘look, if you’re not going to accept the shelter or the housing that we’re offering, you can stay in the park, but you can’t stay in the area where we are going to start the construction work.’ As long as people are in the park, we’re going to work to connect them with housing resources and shelter. But, we are also committed to working forward. It’s this project here,” Ramírez-Rosa said.

The Department of Family and Support Services held what it called an accelerated moving event, as well.

“At the time, there were 28 people living in the park. All 28 people were offered a home, an apartment. The vast majority of people accepted that option. And a number of them today are in an apartment. That is a success story,” Ramírez-Rosa said.

Not everyone is happy about how the whole process has been handled by the city. Outreach crews, who have been working with the unhoused from the beginning, said police have been harassing those living there.

They said the two designated spots within the park for those still there to move to are not adequate.

It’s not clear, however, how many people exactly were still actually living there as of Monday morning.

The encampment has led to rising tensions between those living within it and residents who use the park for recreational activity.

Last month, the city removed a line of tents that had been set up along a fence line in Little Gompers, directly in front of a baseball diamond used by one of the leagues, which for a time had to move elsewhere, despite recently completed upgrades.

The league is back as of April 21.

“What we’re most concerned about is being able to provide a baseball and softball league for the youth of Gompers park in a safe way. There had been safety concerns. We’ve talked about the fires and the drug use and the harassment that was happening,” said JJ Betts, with the Gompers Park Athletic Association.

For those who have been working with the unhoused here from the start, the city’s approach to relocating the encampment’s residents has been flawed from the beginning.

“Even on the morning of the accelerated moving event, when a number of people got signed up for housing, that morning cops showed up at 4:30 a.m. to threaten people and tell people their tents were going to be thrown out, and they had to be out. And a lot of people were afraid to even go to their appointments to get housing,” said Adam Gianforte, with 39th Ward Neighbors United.

Not all of those who lived in Gompers Park have been completely relocated.

Already, a handful of tents have popped up across the street, in an area designated by the city for those who wish to remain in the park.

In a statement Monday, the park district said: “Today, May 12th, the Park District began construction on the southeast end of Gompers Park, including the lagoon between the tennis courts and the basketball court, the parking lot and the open space around the parking lot and basketball court. Residents were asked to relocate to another area of the park by Sunday, May 11th to allow construction to begin today. The Park District will continue to work with DFSS and other service organizations to connect residents with resources including housing.”

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
Active shooter, wildfire situation unfolding in Idaho after firefighters ambushed in deadly incident

Man found dead with gun near site where Idaho firefighters were attacked in a surprise ambush

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A man who had…
Boulder terror attack: Colorado woman, 82, injured by Molotov cocktail dies, charges upgraded

Death of 82-year-old Colorado woman injured in Boulder Molotov cocktail attack results in upgraded charges

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Colorado prosecutors have elevated…
Capitol Police arrest man who disrupted Senate debate on Trump's 'big, beautiful bill': 'You people are awful'

Man arrested by Capitol Police for disrupting Senate debate on Trump’s bill by calling Senators ‘awful’

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! During the Senate debate…
Ryland Headley guilty: Man, 92, convicted of murder of Louisa Dunne in Bristol in UK's longest-running cold case

“92-Year-Old Man Found Guilty of Murdering Louisa Dunne in Bristol, UK’s Longest-Running Cold Case”

LONDON — An elderly man at the age of 92 was found…
Trump hails ‘monumental' damage as experts await verdict on Iran’s nuclear program

Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been severely weakened, but the regime may continue to pursue the bomb

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! President Donald Trump recently…
Clean-cut star of two iconic 1990s movies looks VERY different today...can you guess who?

Guess Who the Star of Two Famous 1990s Movies Looks Like Now!

He starred in two iconic 1990s movies, was the voice of a…
Exiled Iranian prince tells Trump he can be 'one of history's great peacemakers' amid talk of regime change

Iranian prince in exile advises Trump on potential for being a significant peacemaker in history while discussing possibilities of regime alteration.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Exclusive information obtained by…
HHS Finds Harvard in Violation of Title IX Over Antisemitism on Campus

Harvard Found in Violation of Title IX by HHS for Antisemitism on Campus

Harvard University might be feeling the heat today following an announcement made…
Ukraine moves toward withdrawing from treaty banning anti-personnel mines

Ukraine is progressing towards exiting a treaty that prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy…
GOP rebel Thom Tillis rampages against Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' after withdrawing from re-election

Thom Tillis, GOP dissenter, criticizes Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ after opting out of re-election

Thom Tillis is strongly criticizing Donald Trump’s proposed ‘big, beautiful bill’ while…
Breaking: VA Officials Report 'Premeditated Stabbing' of Corrections Officers by MS-13 Gang Inmates

Several Firefighters Injured by Gunfire in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – Possible Ambush Situation, Suspect Not Captured Yet

BREAKING Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office in Northern Idaho reporting an active shooter…
Wind turbine blade crashes into traffic on busy Northeast interstate

Traffic on busy road impacted by wind turbine blade crash

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! One person is reported…