Migrants in Chicago should be housed in churches, mosques and synagogues
Two boys living in a migrant shelter in the Pilsen neighborhood ride a bicycle together July 17.
Owen Ziliak/Sun-Times
Mr. Mayor, you requested ideas for alternate sites for migrants.
I suggest the churches, mosques and synagogues throughout the city. Storefront churches can house one or two families. Larger religious buildings can house dozens. Aren’t the missions of these organizations to cater to the least of us?
All these buildings are empty multiple days a week.
Maybe it’s time for these tax-exempt so-called charitable organizations to do something that warrants that exempt status. Or, are they just giving us lip service as charities?
M.J. Smith, Oak Lawn
House migrants in empty offices
In response to Fran Spielman’s Sept. 8 article, “Chicago will spend $255.7 million on migrant crisis by year’s end, mayor says,” it’s an appalling choice to spend many millions of dollars on housing when migrants could be housed in Chicago’s plethora of empty real estate.
A Bloomberg article about Chicago’s empty offices said: “Things aren’t looking up for the commercial real estate market, with the city’s office-vacancy rate reaching a record 22.4% in the first quarter. Tech companies, once seen as a bright opportunity for Chicago’s future, are retrenching: Salesforce Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. are giving up almost 240,000 square feet (22,300 square meters) of space.”
Why can’t our city leaders wise up, stop raising our taxes every chance they get and utilize the empty space already available in all the office buildings that have been vacant since the onset of COVID-19?
Jean Scott, Irving Park
Say no to tents for migrants
Before someone dies of exposure, nix the tent idea. This winter, migrants should be housed in park district field houses and closed or underused school buildings. Chicago still is “The City That Works,” isn’t it?
Michael Sullivan, Avondale
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Let’s talk more about ageism
As a 75-year-old retired teacher living an active, productive and meaningful life, I was delighted to read Mary Mitchell’s Sept. 8 column (“Joe Biden’s age isn’t the problem. We are.”) and to learn that she plans weekly to celebrate aging and shed light on ageism.
The negative messages we absorb from children’s fairy tales, song lyrics, the media, and by how we treat people past “a certain age,” have caused ageism to become the most pervasive “-ism” in American society.
As social studies teachers share information about our many marginalized communities, I suggest that Mary Mitchell’s column be followed and discussed in classrooms and at home. Write on, Mary!
Barbara Turner, Darien
No love for Bears’ opener
Before leaving for New York, Aaron Rodgers must have sold his ownership rights to the Bears to Jordan Love, who played like he owned them. Very disappointing opener.
John Farrell, DeKalb
Bears’ opener was a joke
Q: Why doesn’t Iowa have a professional football team?
A: Because if they did, Illinois would want one, too.
Bob Chimis, Elmwood Park