Accelerated Moving Events (AMEs) are a cornerstone of Chicago\u2019s strategy to address homelessness, offering a streamlined process to connect unhoused individuals and families with permanent housing and support services. Initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, AMEs compress the housing process into a single day, allowing participants to view apartments, complete applications, and select furniture, all with the support of case managers and nonprofit partners. This article explores the progress, successes, challenges, and current situation of AMEs in Chicago, focusing on their impact on homeless encampments, the broader fight against homelessness, and the pivotal role played by former Ald. James Cappleman in their advocacy and design.<\/p>\n
AMEs emerged in 2020 as part of the Expedited Housing Initiative (EHI), a response to the heightened risks faced by unhoused individuals during the pandemic. Coordinated by All Chicago Making Homelessness History and the Chicago Continuum of Care (CoC), AMEs use federal funding to remove barriers to housing, such as lengthy paperwork or fragmented service access. During an AME, participants work with outreach teams to:<\/p>\n
The process is designed to be efficient and client-centered, addressing immediate housing needs while fostering lasting stability. Since their inception, AMEs have been held at shelters, drop-in centers, and encampments across the city, including high-visibility sites like Gompers Park and Humboldt Park. Former Ald. James Cappleman (46th Ward) was instrumental in laying the groundwork for AMEs through his advocacy for housing-first solutions in Uptown.<\/p>\n
James Cappleman, a former social worker and 46th Ward Alderman (2011\u20132023), played a significant role in advocating for and shaping the framework that led to AMEs. Representing Uptown and parts of Lakeview, areas with visible homeless populations, Cappleman leveraged his social work background and community activism to address homelessness systemically:<\/p>\n
Cappleman\u2019s contributions were foundational in establishing AMEs as a scalable, housing-first intervention, influencing their structure and citywide adoption.<\/p>\n
AMEs have demonstrated significant success in moving unhoused individuals into permanent housing. Key achievements include:<\/p>\n
These outcomes highlight AMEs\u2019 ability to deliver rapid, tangible results, particularly for those living in unsheltered conditions, building on the housing-first principles Cappleman championed.<\/p>\n
AMEs have driven broader improvements in Chicago\u2019s homelessness response system, many of which trace back to Cappleman\u2019s early advocacy:<\/p>\n
In 2024 and 2025, AMEs have focused on high-profile encampments, reflecting both community pressure and city priorities:<\/p>\n
Despite their successes, AMEs face significant hurdles:<\/p>\n
The Illinois Department of Human Rights\u2019 March 2025 warning that encampment removals may violate the state\u2019s Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act has shaped AME implementation. City officials, including Chief Homelessness Officer Sendy Soto, have emphasized that AMEs are not sweeps and that unhoused individuals will not be criminalized. This legal framework underscores Chicago\u2019s commitment to voluntary, supportive interventions, aligning with Cappleman\u2019s advocacy for compassionate, systemic solutions.<\/p>\n
To sustain and enhance AMEs, Chicago must address several priorities:<\/p>\n
Accelerated Moving Events have transformed Chicago\u2019s approach to homelessness, housing thousands of individuals and streamlining the transition from encampments and shelters to permanent homes. Former Ald. James Cappleman\u2019s advocacy and design contributions, particularly through the 2016 Uptown viaduct project, laid the foundation for AMEs\u2019 housing-first approach and coordinated service model. Successes like the EHI\u2019s 1,888 housed households and recent AMEs at Gompers and Humboldt Parks demonstrate their potential. However, challenges\u2014resource shortages, transparency issues, and community tensions\u2014persist, compounded by a growing homeless population. As Chicago continues to refine AMEs, balancing housing-first principles with practical constraints will be key to making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. For more information, visit All Chicago\u2019s EHI page<\/a>.<\/p>\n