City Installs Toilets, Sinks To Protect Homeless From Coronavirus

EVANSTON, IL — City officials installed 15 portable toilets and hand-washing stations around Evanston in an effort to help the local homeless population protect themselves from the spread of the coronavirus, according to a release.

People experiencing homelessness are exempted from the statewide stay-at-home order issued by Gov. JB Pritzker that took effect Saturday and is set to remain in effect until April 7.

But homeless people are "strongly urged to obtain urged to obtain shelter, and governmental and other entities are strongly urged to make such shelter available as soon as possible and to the maximum extent practicable," according to Pritzker's order.

City officials in Evanston are "working with Connections for the Homeless, Interfaith Action, Evanston Community Foundation, YWCA [Evanston North/Shore], and Curt’s Café to coordinate temporary housing for those in need," according to Communications Manager Patrick Deignan.

"We expect plans to be finalized early this week," he said.

According to Connections for the Homeless, a rental property recently acquired by 5th Ward Ald. Robin Rue Simmons was slated to open Monday.

"[W]e know it can't come soon enough," a representative of the nonprofit posted on social media. "This important collaboration meets a critical need amid the COVID-19 health crisis. We look forward to sharing additional details more broadly soon."

For people who test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel strain of the coronavirus that first emerged in China last year, but who are unable to self-quarantine due to their housing situations, city staff are "actively working to establish self-isolation options for those in need," according to Deignan.

"The City continues to work hand-in-hand with our local health care agencies and Federal, State and County partners to meet the city's current and future health care needs," he said.

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As of Sunday, there were 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Evanston residents, according to the city's health department.

Those infected included at least three residents of the assisted living facility Three Crowns Park and six people associated with Northwestern University.

Over the weekend, a member of an Evanston church became one of the first six Illinois residents to due of the coronavirus.

John LaPlante, the first commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation and a member of the Evanston Unitarian Church, died Saturday at Evanston Hospital at the age of 80.

LaPlante was a "dedicated, longtime public servant" who championed bike lanes, pedestrian safety and complete streets design, according to CDOT. He had tested positive for COVID-19 nearly two weeks earlier after returning from a trip to Egypt and Jordan, his family told the Chicago Sun-Times. The church held an online memorial service for LaPlante Sunday.

Related:

• Illinois Coronavirus Cases Spike, Governor Demands More Medical Supplies
• North Shore Hospitals Prepare For Influx Of Coronavirus Patients
• More Evanston Coronavirus Cases Reported As Mayor Warns Of Shortage
• In-House Coronavirus Tests Offered At Evanston Hospital

In addition to staying at least six feet way from people to minimize close contact and the chances of virus transmission, frequent hand-washing with soap and water for at last 20 seconds can help stem the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Evanston, hand-washing stations and portable toilets have been placed at the following locations:

Trader Joe's/Jewel-Osco, 1100 block of Chicago Avenue
Meals on Wheels, 1723 Simpson St.
Dempster & Dodge, 1919 Dempster St.
Gibbs-Morrison Cultural Center, 1823 Church St.
Hilda's Place (Raymond Park), 1458 Chicago Ave.
Connections for the Homeless (Twiggs Park), 2200 block of Dewey Avenue
McGaw YMCA, 1000 Grove St.
Chicago Avenue and Main Street
Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave.
Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St.
Y.O.U. Headquarters, 1911 Church St.
Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave.
Noyes CTA Stop, 901 Noyes St.
Independence Park, 2100 block of Central St.