Officials taking it slow against illegal tent city

CHAMPAIGN – A tent city that houses about eight homeless people in the backyard of the Catholic Worker House is illegal under the city's zoning ordinance, and is drawing fire from some neighboring residents, who say the residents are often drunk and make noise late into the night.

But the city is taking a nonconfrontational approach toward the month-old compound, which supporters call a "tent community" that they say is causing few problems and provides an affordable, dignified solution to homelessness.

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