Homeless camping

The northern Illinois city is of similar size to Peoria, where conversations about the unhoused have become supercharged in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Grants Pass decision last year.

Abatement of public campsites in downtown Peoria has been put on hold until January.

Three candidates want to represent the district that includes downtown, much of the West and Center Bluffs, and a swath of Central Peoria that runs up to Glen Ave. That area also includes major higher ed institutions like Illinois Central College and Bradley University.

With just under 15 days to go before the city of Peoria's ban targeting homeless encampments on public property goes into effect, Community Development Director Joe Dulin says it’s difficult to define just how ready the city is to enforce it.

Anxious. Uncertain. Fearful. These are just a few of the emotions Peoria’s unsheltered residents and advocacy groups are feeling in the aftermath of the city’s recently approved public encampment ban.

The Peoria City Council member who cast an apparent swing vote that passed a ban on homeless encampments says the inclusion of an initial outreach effort factored into his decision.

The Peoria City Council on Tuesday voted 6-5 to enact a prohibition of homeless encampments with the possibility of jail terms among potential penalties for multiple violations.

In her most recent monthly interview with WCBU, Mayor Rita Ali discusses how Peoria continues to address the challenges of violent crime and community safety.

City Engineer Josie Esker has authorized spending about $140,000 in contingency funds so far and she anticipates another $210,000 will be needed to replace dilapidated pavement that was discovered.

As the City of Peoria grapples with how to address its unhoused population and discourage people from camping in public locations, Mayor Rita Ali is taking a clear but layered stance.