Permanent PADS shelter coming to Waukegan

WAUKEGAN – Local officials are celebrating the acquisition of a commercial building that will be transformed into a permanent shelter to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis in Lake County.

PADS Lake County plans to modify the nearly 33,000-square-foot former Travelodge hotel located on Lewis Avenue in Waukegan to create a safe space to help those who find themselves unhoused in Lake County by providing them with a place to sleep, eat and receive assistance, according to a news release. The proposed new facility will offer more than 60 rooms with 200 beds and communal areas for socializing.

The Lake County Board allocated $7.06 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support this project, aimed at improving long-term housing security in the community. An additional $2 million in funding was provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

“The lack of affordable housing is the leading cause of homelessness in our county, especially for families,” Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said in the release. “This has contributed to a dramatic rise in the number of families unable to find a place to live. This new shelter is going to be an essential and much-needed resource in our fight to combat family homelessness in our community.”

The need for a permanent shelter in Lake County has increased since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Nondedicated buildings such as community centers and places of worship were used to offer temporary shelters for the unhoused but because of health and safety concerns, these buildings were removed as shelter options during the pandemic.

The new site will allow PADS Lake County to offer 24-hour operations with specialty trained staff.

“PADS is proud to partner with Lake County in developing resilient and durable social infrastructure to address the rising homelessness crisis across our community. This much-needed shelter will provide critical support in response to the staggering 75% increase in family homelessness we’ve seen over the past year,” Allen Swilley, executive director of PADS Lake County, said in the release. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to County Board chair Sandy Hart, the Lake County Board members and Lake County Community Development for their unwavering commitment to our most vulnerable neighbors. Your leadership is making Lake County a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Creating a permanent shelter will increase available assistance to residents currently unhoused with the aim of reducing the amount of time individuals and families experience homelessness. The new shelter also will help increase the quality of assistance and services to be provided, creating a better living situation for families and support moving into stable housing.

The facility will serve as a central resource center for PADS Lake County to provide housing, food and case management services for individuals and families in need. Having multiple services housed under one roof also has the potential to increase the resources accessed by those in need and deepen the impact to Lake County residents.

“I’m grateful that residents will benefit from our partnership with PADS Lake County,” Mary Ross-Cunningham, Lake County Board vice chair and board member for District 9, said in the release. “This project is an excellent example of how collaboration to address the housing issues facing our residents in Waukegan and across the county can make a real difference. Lake County is dedicated to working on ways to assist all those who find themselves unhoused.”

Learn more about Lake County ARPA-funded projects at lakecountyil.gov/ARPA.