COMMUNITY MEETING IN SOUTH SHORE AS RESIDENTS ARE CALLING ON THE CITY TO STOP ITS PLAN TO MOVE MIGRANTS INTO A FORMER SCHOOL.

THIS COMES AS THE CITY IS STRUGGLING TO HOUSE HUNDREDS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS ARRIVING IN CHICAGO WITH MANY MORE CURRENTLY SLEEPING AT POLICE STATIONS.

CITY OFFICIALS HOSTED A COMMUNITY MEETING IN SOUTH SHORE THURSDAY TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS.

WE WERE THERE.

>> Reporter: IT WAS A SOLD OUT EVENT PEOPLE HAD A LOT TO SAY.

THERE WAS TENSION AS CITY OFFICIALS TRY TO LAY OUT THEIR PLAN.

DOZENS OF RESIDENTS LINED UP TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND FRUSTRATIONS SURROUNDING THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING MIGRANTS MOVE INTO THEIR COMMUNITY.

THE MEETING WAS HELD AT A NEWER SCHOOL AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE SHUTTERED SOUTH SHORE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH THE CITY PLANS TO TURN INTO A RESPITE CENTER.

ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS, THE GOAL IS TO USE THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE FORMER HIGH SCHOOL, GIVING 500 ASYLUM-SEEKERS A PLACE TO STAY TEMPORARILY AS A CITY FIND MORE PERMANENT SHELTER FOR THE MIGRANTS.

>> THIS IS A FACILITY THAT IS A TEMPORARY HOLDING PLACE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY SEEK A SHELTER BED.

WHAT THAT MEANS, THOUGH, IT IS A CHAIR FOR THEM TO SIT, A PLACE TO DECOMPRESS, AND A PLACE TO TAKE A HOT SHOWER.

A PLACE TO DECOMPRESS AND NOT BE IN A POLICE DISTRICT.

WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER SERVICES BEYOND THAT, IT IS VERY TEMPORARY FOR THESE FOLKS.

>> Reporter: RESIDENTS SAY THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AND THE TIMELINE OF THE PLANT.

RECENTLY THE BUILDING HAS BEEN OCCUPIED AS A TRAINING CENTER FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE TOLD THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR YEARS TO HAVE THE PROPERTY BECOME A COMMUNAL HUB.

WHAT ATTEND THE INTEREST HAVING EMPATHY FOR THE MIGRANTS, BUT WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SUMMER PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THE CITY HAS FOR ASYLUM-SEEKERS.

>> THERE HAS BEEN DISINVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN GENERAL, WHEN IT COMES TO SUMMER PROGRAMS.

CAREER PROGRAM TO ALL THE THINGS LISTED BEFORE.

I AM TRYING TO GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY, WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE AND WHO YOU ARE COLLABORATED WITH.

>> Reporter: THE CITY PLANS TO PARTNER WITH INSTITUTIONS TO OFFER ESL CLASSES, AS WELL AS ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN BUT THE PANEL DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER ON HOW LONG MIGRANTS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY, BUT DID SAY THEY PLAN TO HAVE A 24 HOUR POLICING.

THAT IS A MOVE SEVERAL RESIDENTS WERE IN FAVOR OF.

SOME SAY THEY HAVE ASKED THE CITY TO TACKLE HOMELESSNESS AND GUN VIOLENCE.

>> IT IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS BEING SERVED HERE.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY FAIR FOR EVERY HOMELESS IMMIGRANT THAT YOU BRING IN THAT YOU SCOOP UP ONE OF THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY .

[ APPLAUSE ] I THINK THAT WOULD BE FAIR.

>> Reporter: THEY SAY THEY HOPE THE MAYOR ELECT MOVES ASYLUM-SEEKERS TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ONCE HE TAKES OFFICE.

IN A STATEMENT TODAY, JOHNSON CALLED FOR MORE COORDINATION AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS, WHILE ADDING "I'M GOING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE OF CHICAGO AND ELDER PERSONS."

BUT THE STRONGER OUR COMMUNITIES ARE, THE BETTER