PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria outreach group LULA has helped more than 40 individuals living on the streets find shelter in a motel, and city officials may want to reimburse the organization.
Since Jan. 4, LULA has contributed over $8,000 for motel rooms and meals for Peoria’s homeless community who were living in tent encampments downtown, and must now get off the streets after the council voted to ban camping on public property late last year.
The Peoria City Council is considering reimbursing LULA $10,000.
Third District Council Member Tim Riggenbach says the organization’s actions are compassionate and worthwhile of the funds.
“That’s an expensive proposition, and it’s also a proposition that the city really couldn’t initiate ourselves because of our liability,” Riggenbach said.
If passed by the council, the money would come from $800,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds set aside to address homelessness in Peoria.
LULA Co-Founder Kshe Bernard tells 25 News, the group is extremely grateful for the offer, but those funds will only last a week or two. She said the motel is a temporary fix.
“The motel isn’t a sustainable solution,” Bernard says. “If we could move this project to a stand-alone building and do it there it would be way more cost-effective.”
Riggenbach agrees that the motel is a band-aid, not a long-term solution. He says Peoria is working on more permanent solutions to address the need for housing.
“I think it’s fair to say all hands are on deck right now, looking at this from multiple angles,” Riggenbach says. “Hopefully we’ll be able to find that solution that gives us the immediate shelter that we need, but more importantly, the long-term solutions.”
Bernard hopes the city will continue to reimburse the group for its efforts this winter, as well as give something to its dedicated staff members.
“I do think it’s important to know that [money] just covers room and maybe partially food and hygiene, and absolutely no staffing,” Bernard says. “Hopefully the people that are working on this project and donating their time would eventually get compensated.”
Bernard also says she’s happy with city officials’ cooperation so far. She says LULA will continue to house people in the motel and feed them as funds allow.
Bernard encourages the community to donate by reaching out directly to LULA.
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