Council Roundup: Mulligans settlement

The city of Peoria settled their lawsuit with Mulligans tonight for $163,000 with very little comment.  The lawsuit stemmed from the city prohibiting Mulligans from holding wet t-shirt contests.  Sandberg mentioned that the amount of money in the settlement would pay for three firefighters — to which someone (couldn’t tell who) added “with their clothes on.”  That was a pretty funny line.

Council Roundup: 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

Emily Cahill of the Heart of Illinois Homeless Continuum of Care (HOIHCOC) presented their 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness tonight. Why do we have an HOIHCOC and a 10-year plan?

In 2001, President George W. Bush set a national goal to end chronic homelessness within 10 years. In response to that goal, and a mandate from Congress, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued direction to all recipients of HUD grants, including local jurisdictions and all Continua of Care, to develop a local plan to end chronic homelessness.

In other words, it’s a federal requirement. This was a long, but interesting presentation and discussion with the council. Some of the interesting facts they presented:

  • Families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population
  • 30% of homeless persons are homeless with their families—one-third are children
  • At least 20% of homeless children do not attend school
  • Over half of the homeless people in Illinois live outside of Chicago
  • 41% of homeless are single men
  • One third of homeless persons experience a mental illness
  • Less than one-third are addicted to drugs or alcohol

To combat chronic homelessness*, they want to see 250 more safe and affordable housing units by 2016, implement a data-collection system so they can track their progress, improve the emergency shelter system, increase public awareness of the 10-year plan, and most importantly, focus on prevention.

They request that the community do three things:

  • Review the Plan
  • Share your comments, suggestions, and concerns in writing (by March 15 — e-mail comments to the Continuum at hoihmis@mtco.com – Subject: 10-Year Plan, OR mail comments to HOIHCOC, c/o Emily Cahill, P.O. Box 3855, Peoria, IL 61612.
  • Attend March 23 Homeless Breakfast (sorry, I have no further info on this event)

Continue reading Council Roundup: 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

Council Roundup: Savoie honored

Olympic figure skater Matt Savoie was honored tonight by the City Council.  The entire council chambers gave Matt a standing ovation, and Gary Sandberg — a family friend of the Savoies — read the proclamation.  It was a very nice gesture of the city, and I think the council spoke for all of us when they told Matt how proud we Peorians are of him.