Congressional candidate Conforti sounds alarm on inaction on Glen Ellyn homelessness, public safety concerns: ‘Elections have consequences’
A political battle over homelessness, public safety and government policy is emerging in Glen Ellyn, where Republican congressional candidate Niki Conforti says a growing wave of disruptive behavior downtown is exposing the consequences of state and federal decisions and putting residents, families and local businesses on edge.
Conforti, a 20-year Glen Ellyn resident and the Republican nominee challenging U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) in the Nov. 3 race for Illinois’ 6th Congressional District, says she has watched the situation deteriorate firsthand.
"As a 20-year resident of Glen Ellyn myself, I've seen this issue develop and worsen,” Conforti said in a statement provided to the DuPage Policy Journal.
The issue arises as Glen Ellyn residents have reported a growing number of confrontations, disturbances and unsettling encounters involving homeless individuals, prompting calls for action from village leaders and law enforcement. Residents have described incidents involving verbal threats, aggressive confrontations and public disturbances they say has affected their sense of safety while visiting downtown Glen Ellyn.
Part of the problem, residents say, is that when members of the village’s homeless population threaten residents, loiter or panhandle, the Glen Ellyn Police Department often takes no action.
A group of residents who have spoken out on the issue are set to meet with Glen Ellyn leaders on the issue in late July.
“Glen Ellyn has always been a compassionate town,” Conforti said. “Yet, there are unintended consequences to blind compassion that put communities at risk. Our safety, and our children's safety, should be prioritized above all else. Law enforcement can only do their job when the policies in place allow them to do so.”
Kristina McCloy, founder of Concerned Citizens of Illinois and resident of Hinsdale, said she believes local officials have not done enough to address the situation.
“This situation in downtown Glen Ellyn is not only absurd, it is shameful,” McCloy told the DuPage Policy Journal. “The Village Board and local leaders should be deeply embarrassed for allowing these conditions to continue that put every resident, family, child, and business owner at risk. We are lucky that when a homeless man screamed ‘I will blow your brains out,’ it remained only words and has not yet turned into an innocent person’s tragedy. How many more warnings do we need?”
McCloy said she believes repeated incidents have created fear among some residents.
“This is a clear public safety crisis,” she said. “The police have been well informed of this and have had repeated opportunities to remove and arrest these individuals for disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, trespassing, disruption, and violent threats. Yet the problems continue to escalate.”
She said some residents have privately expressed concerns about spending time downtown.
“Multiple moms have informed me who would rather not speak out publicly, and are part of the community who is silently suffering from this,” Conforti said. “Parents who once felt comfortable dropping their high school daughters off downtown to meet friends are now too scared to do so.”
McCloy also described concerns involving local businesses and public spaces.
“One father walking with his young son was approached by a homeless man asking if the boy wanted to play ‘kid games,’” she said. “Downtown businesses can no longer maintain outdoor seating areas because the homeless individuals are urinating on them. This has gone far beyond acceptable.”
She called for additional action from local government and law enforcement.
“The Village and police must prioritize removing these individuals from public spaces now!” McCloy said.
The debate in Glen Ellyn reflects a broader discussion over the effectiveness of government-funded programs.
April Redzic, whose reported annual compensation is $223,211, is the CEO of DuPagePads, an organization supported by public funding, grants and private donations.
According to the DuPage Foundation, the DuPage County Board has poured more than $5.2 million into DuPage Pads.
She has been connected to several leftist politicians including Conforti’s opponent Casten who invited her to attend former President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address in 2021 where she praised federal support for the progressive agenda.
Redzic has been a prominent advocate for expanded government investment in homelessness programs, despite such programs increasing homeless populations in municipalities like Glen Ellyn in the past.
In 2025, the Illinois Shelter Alliance, where Redzic is involved in leadership, called for an additional $100 million in state funding for homelessness programs.
Redzic has also criticized proposals that would impose work requirements, immigration screening or spending limits on certain housing programs.
Conforti said the Glen Ellyn situation demonstrates how decisions made at higher levels of government can affect local communities.
“Federal and state elections have consequences, even at the local level,” Conforti said.
A homeless man sleeps on a bench in downtown Glen Ellyn with his personal belongings nearby. On the right, a close-up shows an ankle monitoring device strapped to his leg. (Provided photo)