NORTH PARK — A day after a Legion Park encampment fire forced several evacuations of nearby homes, neighbors on Wednesday told members of the Park Board of Commissioners that the city needs to reexamine how it addresses homelessness.
While the nine neighbors and advocates who spoke about homelessness during Wednesday’s monthly park board meeting had differing views on encampments in city parks, each agreed that the city’s current policies aren’t working.
A day earlier, firefighters responded to a fire at the encampment, near the North Jersey Avenue and West Ardmore Avenue intersection, Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Merritt said. There were no injuries, and the fire’s cause has not yet been determined. A propane take was found at the scene, Merritt said. NBC Chicago reported that the blaze forced multiple neighbors to temporarily evacuate…