As a Far Northwest Side elected official and former case manager for people experiencing homelessness, I am focused on policies to end homelessness. I fight the uphill battle to maintain the state budget for shelters and housing while simultaneously providing constituent services to unsheltered residents living in area parks — some in tents. Given my own everyday experience, I was struck by the knowledge gaps in the recent editorial “Tent cities don’t belong in Chicago’s parks” (Sept. 14). It’s clear that the Tribune Editorial Board and most Chicagoans have no idea how arduous it is to access “emergency” shelter, often a vital part of someone’s pathway to housing stability.

In order to access shelter in the city of Chicago, one must dial 311. According to the city and state’s own data,

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