Following anti-camping debate, regional pilot program set for January 2027

Last year, the Village of Arlington Heights debated a proposed ban on public camping, prompting conversations about the need for more supportive services for people experiencing street homelessness.

Those conversations helped spark a regional partnership with Connections for the Homeless, set to launch in January 2027. Connections is preparing to work with as many as 10 townships and villages across the Northwest suburbs to help connect people living on the streets to case management and housing resources.

As part of the pilot, Connections is creating a new full-time case manager position dedicated to the Northwest suburbs. The case manager will respond to referrals from participating communities and connect people to the local Continuum of Care’s Coordinated Entry System—a process established under federal guidance to help assess housing needs and to help people and families find a path toward stability.

This work builds on Connections’ broader regional efforts, including the launch earlier this year of our new separate full-time case manager position dedicated to serving transition-age youth across the region.

By deepening relationships with communities across the Northwest suburbs, where resources for people experiencing homelessness are more limited, Connections aims to help more people access the support they need to find stable housing.