By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council met from 5 p.m. to nearly 11 p.m. to listen to dozens of speakers after allowing extra time for comments at the Tuesday, Nov. 4 Committee of the Whole and City Council meetings.
The Council agreed to work on the language of an Ordinance by sending it back to the Rules, Administration, and Procedure Committee. The Ordinance was created to make most City property an Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Free Zone, likely to be approved at the next meeting.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose of this Ordinance is to exercise the City of Aurora’s home rule powers under the Illinois Constitution to protect the public peace, safety, and welfare. This action is narrowly tailored to explicitly prohibit the use of any City-owned and controlled property-including parking lots, buildings, or parks-as a staging area, processing location, or operations base for civil immigration enforcement activities. Enactment ensures the City maintains control over its own resources and personnel, preventing interference with local governmental affairs.
The State of Illinois passed the TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/1 et seq.) in 2017, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal civil immigration operations and prohibits the use of City resources for onsite support.
Recent reports confirm that masked federal agents deployed to the Chicago metropolitan area have utilized city and publicly owned property (parking lots, garages, vacant lots) in Aurora and other Illinois communities as staging sites for civil immigration enforcement.
The use of Aurora’s facilities for these purposes would not only violate the existing TRUST Act but would also erode the public trust between local law enforcement and Aurora’s immigrant communities.
•Unanimous approval was given to a Resolution authorizing the director of the Purchasing Department to enter into an agreement with Becoming Oswego Church for the management and operation of a temporary warming shelter on an as needed basis, effective November 4, 2025 through May 31, 2026, for an amount not to exceed $136,141.
City government of Aurora documents show the City desires to be a partner with an experienced organization to manage and operate a temporary warming shelter to ensure the health and safety of individuals in need of temporary respite from extreme winter weather and temperature conditions.
The Community Services Department was host to the City’s temporary warming shelter (TWS) from the end of 2020 until spring 2024 at the Aurora Transportation Shelter. Prior to 2020, the City provided warming Shelters at various locations during the winter months when necessary. City staff members have previously managed and operated the TWS and private security services were contracted to ensure the safety of guests and staff members.
In fall 2024, the City released a request for proposals (RFP) to solicit a partner to manage and operate a TWS on behalf of the City. Wesley United Methodist Church was the sole respondent to the RFP and selected as the vendor for the fall 2024 and winter 2025 season. The TWS was housed at the church at 14 N. May Street.
Over the past three years, the TWS opened an average of 30 nights per winter. During the peak of the extreme cold periods, the average number of guests was 12-14, with a maximum peak of 30 total guests. Guests typically fell under at least one of the following categories:
- Banned from Hesed House.
- Did not meet Hesed House’s residency qualifications or eligibility criteria.
- Required only short-term assistance (1-2 nights).
At the conclusion of the winter season, City staff and community partners met to determine next steps. They decided to release a new RFP to open the opportunity for community partners to submit proposals to house, manage, and operate a TWS on the City’s behalf.
The City published the RFP on August 19, 2025, with a closing date of September 3, 2025. Becoming Oswego Church was the sole respondent. (See Bid Tabulation – Attachment A.) Within their proposal, they did not identify a site; however, they offered staff and volunteers to operate and manage a site provided by the City.
Becoming Oswego Church submitted a timely proposal and subsequently met with the City staff to discuss the opportunity and how to accommodate the City’s TWS location requirements. Because the church could not provide space, City staff surveyed suitable City owned buildings that could be considered as TWS candidates which would then be managed and operated by the church.
A total of eight (8) buildings were initially selected as part of the review. Inspections and walkthroughs were conducted to confirm that the buildings were in favorable condition, suitable for a TWS, in close proximity to daytime warming shelter, and distanced from parks. City staff also consulted with Hesed House to confirm that the location and building aligned with Hesed House’s shelter strategy. Subsequently, 712 S River St. was selected as the TWS location. It has a maximum capacity of 49 and is in close proximity to the Aurora Library which will continue to serve as a daytime warming shelter.
The contract for Becoming Oswego Church will include eligible expenses for paid staff, unarmed security, food, administrative expenses, and training. Prior to activation, the City will use its public safety resources to assist in the provision of de-escalation, CPR, and First Aid training by Aurora Police Department and Aurora Fire Department for TWS staff and volunteers.
The TWS costs are based on an assumption of 100 total nights of activation. In prior years, the threshold was set at 15 Fahrenheit degrees, but that threshold has since changed to 6 or more hours at or below 32 Fahrenheit degrees within a 24-hour period. Due to the uncertainty of the upcoming winter weather, the City established a $50,000 contingency fund. This is intended to cover additional TWS operating nights beyond 100, provide hotel vouchers for families, or address guest overflow needs. City staff will modify the contract should these contingency funds be needed to allow for no gaps in service.
Becoming Oswego Church would be contracted from date of council resolution through May 31, 2026.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
To ensure unhoused Aurora residents will have access to a safe, warm shelter during cold weather, TWS will provide needed temporary respite and shelter during nights when temperatures make it unsafe to remain outside. By contracting with Becoming Oswego Church and collaborating with local subject matter experts and community partners, the City will operate the TWS according to established operational guidelines and national best practices.