Kankakee council denies Fortitude’s conditional-use permit for proposed shelter at 970 East Court Street

The Kankakee City Council voted 12–0 on Sept. 15 to deny ordinance PB 2025-8-2, rejecting a conditional-use permit that would have allowed Fortitude Community Outreach to operate an emergency overnight shelter at 970 East Court Street.

Supporters filled the public-comment period to urge approval. Teresa Schultz, speaking as a family member of a former city employee, said the shelter would “help our city see fewer persons who are homeless on the streets” and asked the council to “support Fortitude by allowing them to help our city.” Claire McElroy, a Fortitude board member, told the council Fortitude has provided sheltering in Kankakee for six years and asked only to move operations into the building the organization purchased in March 2025. Jack Tyson, Fortitude’s board chairman, said the organization purchased the building at 970 Court Street on 03/27/2025 and described ongoing renovations and…