From Arrival to Address: Migrant Housing Following the Implementation of the One System Initiative in Chicago

Over 50,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago since 2022. After originally entering the United States through Texas' southern border, governor Greg Abbott began sending buses of migrants to sanctuary cities across the country, including Chicago. With a sudden need to accommodate this large and vulnerable population, Chicago's infrastructure has been tested. The city has spent over $300 million in housing, free transportation cards, medical attention, and other services to help migrants settle. Due to fiscal constraints and complaints from constituents claiming that the city has favored migrants, Mayor Brandon Johnson began closing shelters. In October 2024, Johnson announced the One System Initiative (OSI), which combined the city's homeless and migrant shelter systems. The OSI has also restricted migrants' eligibility to enter Chicago's shelter system. This study examines how the OSI has impacted migrants' housing status, which is measured by participants' relative satisfaction with living conditions, crowdedness of apartments, and ability to pay rent.