THE CITY HAS PROGRESSED FROM THROWING MONEY AT THE PROBLEM TO THROWING MYSTERY MONEY AT THE PROBLEM: Chicago mayor announces homelessness plan with unclear funding sources.

The five-year blueprint features data, recommendations and insight into how the city might address the issue of homelessness. It contains seven pillars to address – emergency services, housing, health, education, employment, community cohesion and systems alignment.

Improvements to homelessness services have already been in progress according to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, but the blueprint will provide guidance for initiatives. The report says it aims to effectively end homelessness, based on a framework called Functional Zero.

Sendy Soto, Chicago chief homelessness officer, was appointed to the position by the mayor in 2023 to lead efforts creating the five-year plan. Her departure from the position was announced by Johnson early this week.

During media availability Tuesday, Johnson said the reason Soto’s position is ending now is solely because her duties had been fulfilled early.

Neither Johnson, nor the report, give clear answers as to where funding would come from for initiatives.

Locking up criminals for a good, long time and aggressively treating drug addiction and mental illness — up to and including involuntary commitment for both — would likely solve almost the entire problem.

Much better instead then to make sure that Homeless Inc. makes a very expensive show of solving the problem.