Political divisions on the Peoria City Council came to the forefront Tuesday as elected officials again weighed the possibility of adopting an ordinance to ban unauthorized camping in public.
Ultimately, the council voted 6-5 to enact the prohibition of homeless encampments with the possibility of jail terms among potential penalties for multiple violations.
Council members Chuck Grayeb, Tim Riggenbach, Denis Cyr, John Kelly, Zach Oyler and Kiran Velpula supported the stricter of two options, eschewing a ban that would have only used fines as a deterrent.
“We're not talking about going in one day and telling people in the encampment, ‘You're out, get out of here. We're clearing it out,’” said Riggenbach. “City staff, community development — as if they don't have enough to do — will now be charged with working with the street outreach teams from those who are already doing that work, and will talk to the people face to face, telling them that they're violating the ordinance and that they need to relocate.”
Mayor Rita Ali was joined by council members Denise Jackson, Andre Allen, Bernice Gordon-Young and Mike Vespa in voting against the proposal during the four-hour special council meeting.
“I don't see incarceration being a solution. I think that's going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money,” said Vespa. “Fining homeless people, that seems silly at best, counterproductive at worst. When they start finally getting back on their feet, we're going to try to collect something from them?”
The vote came with the Council Chambers filled to the point of requiring the use an overflow room, with several members of the gallery displaying hand-held signs in support of the homeless. Many of the signs featured similar messages along the lines of, “I’m wet and I’m cold, and nobody cares,” and “Housing, not handcuffs.”
“If we're serious about tackling these issues, we need to step out of our comfort zones and into these spaces where the real work is being done,” said Estrella Diaz, who has filed to run for the District 2 seat currently held by Grayeb. “We need to listen to the people who know the struggles firsthand. This isn't about making changes that look good on paper. It's about making changes that actually matter.”
All but one of the 17 people who spoke during public comments after the vote voiced opposition to the ban. Originally, 35 people had signed up to address the council, but many left after the ordinance passed.
“What are you doing?,” implored Valorie Engholm, who said she had been homeless briefly in the past. “What are you doing? If this weren't so dire, it'd be hilarious what I witnessed tonight. Human compassion lost in Peoria tonight.
“What good will it do to fine homeless people when we know that they cannot pay those fines? What good will it do to incarcerate these people when we know that at the end of their sentence they'll be back on the streets? Will the process start over like a revolving door of homelessness, fines, incarceration and back to homelessness? This is not a solution. This is the ‘landlord special,’ where we just paint over the problem and pretend it was never there.”
Regarding the potential of issuing fines to unhoused individuals, Ali drew applause from the gallery when she asked the city attorney, “Where are you going to mail their notice?”
Underlying the discussion was the 2025 mayoral election, with council members Grayeb and Kelly running as challengers to Ali. Grayeb directed his pointed remarks in favor of the encampment ban directly at Ali, saying the city is “in crisis.”
“Your burgeoning encampments serve as a stark notice to all Peorians that our city is out of control,” he said. "They have become emblematic, and they are glaring. They have proliferated in the past few months because of your embrace of a radical ideology.”
Ali countered by saying Grayeb was “out of line” in his comments, eliciting applause from the audience for a second time.
“State law of ethics ... prohibits political campaigning while on duty in the midst of performing work,” said Ali. “We also all signed a civility pledge that discourages personal attacks on other members of the council.”
For his part, Kelly agreed with Ali’s stance on civility, but also urged for order to be kept in the chambers and the gallery not become “cheering sections.” He went on to voice his support for the ordinance.
“I think this will work better than what we have,” he said. “It isn't going to solve all of our problems, but it will be, I think, a good first step and say not only to those (unhoused) folks, but also to the citizens of our city and the businesses of our city that this body is serious about protecting them and about enhancing life in our wonderful city.”
The council originally considered the ban in August, but deferred action to gather more information and consult with social service organizations amid concerns about criminalizing homelessness.
City attorney Patrick Hayes told the council the ordinance was drafted to mirror the state’s law against trespassing that already allows law enforcement to compel someone to leave property where they are not wanted. However, the downtown area along Interstate 74 where many of the current camps are located is not city-owned property, but instead belongs to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The approved ban carries a warning prior to an initial citation. Fines for a first offense would be set at $50-$100, and would go uncollected without a repeat violation. Subsequent offenses would see increased fines for failing to vacate an encampment, and a third violation within 180 days would carry a potential jail term of up to six months in jail.
The ordinance also prohibits storage of personal property on public land. While the ban technically goes into effect immediately, City Manager Patrick Urich told WCBU it will take 30 days before it’s ready to be implemented.
Among those given an opportunity to speak prior to the council vote was Christine Haley, the chief homelessness officer for the State of Illinois, and Peoria Housing Authority CEO Armeca Crawford.
“Statewide, we are short of over 26,000 shelter and affordable housing units for people who are currently experiencing homelessness,” said Haley. “We understand that amidst this reality that communities are in very difficult positions. At such times, it's more important than ever that we make evidence-based policy decisions to work to improve our systems, not punish and further traumatize those most affected by our affordable housing crisis.”
“I heard tonight that homelessness is a behavior, and the behavior needs to be corrected,” said Crawford. “And what I've heard tonight from many of you was an attempt to paint what homelessness looks like. Not everyone that's homeless has a drug addiction, not everyone that's homeless has mental illness. … I want you to consider that we are dealing with human beings, as many of you have always also said, but also we also have to understand that housing is a fundamental need.”
Meanwhile, restaurant owners Pat Sullivan of Kelleher’s and Jack Berres of Jack’s on Adams, joined those urging for the ban.
“We’ve got to start waking people up and saying we had enough. I hope we can all get together and get this done. Peoria needs it; it's pretty tough out there,” said Sullivan.
“These unfortunate people in these camps, they deserve better, and we should be a part of that. But our city and our tax-paying and law-abiding citizens deserve more out of our beautiful city,” said Berres. “I hope that we can all get together and fix our downtown. This is not a downtown where businesses, residents will stay, and it's not one where they will move to.”
Several public commenters representing a group called the Peoria Landlord Accountability Project said the ordinance further vilifies individuals facing barriers to housing.
“No one experiencing homelessness chose to be homeless,” said Stephen Heritch. “This myth is harmful to our neighbors and friends sleeping on the street, because it allows for policy makers and the community to blame them for their homelessness instead of examining the real causes.
“Reasons that people become homeless are many, with largest factors in our community being a low supply of affordable homes, domestic violence, economic hardships, health problems, and the long-standing effects of racism against minorities.”
Pastor Harvey Burnett of the New Bethel Church of God said he was disappointed the ordinance passed, but he was encouraged by the community’s response.
“What disturbs me about the way that we approach things in Peoria is that we have considerable resources, but we seem to only expend those resources in ways and in places that kind of makes us look good in a window dress,” said Burnett.
“I've been here long enough, but I'm not prepared to leave these people by themselves in any way, shape and manner. We will commit to do everything that we can to pick up each one of these individuals and connect with these resources and promote affordable housing, expanded housing.”
