Original Article Published by Bill Night / November 15, 2000
As cold weather returns and an annual estimate of homelessness looms next month, advocates for the homeless are preparing for winter –– amid a worsening pandemic.
Meanwhile, the state’s health department in November issued new recommendations urging Illinoisans to stay home, which is literally impossible for those with no home.
Government aid –– most from federal COVID assistance, was helpful, but it’s come and gone. The absence of more assistance, plus questions about the extent of the problem linger as people persevere through the coronavirus and homelessness is extending into rural areas.
“Being a congregate-living situation, we have had to really step up with following the strictest guidelines of social distancing, wearing Personal Protective Equipment and sanitizing constantly,” says Kristy Schofield, director of homeless & housing at Dream Center Peoria. “We have been vigilant and as a result have had very few cases in the shelter.
“Our numbers have surprisingly been lower,” she continues. “We attribute this to the moratorium on evictions and utility shutoffs. We believe when these safeguards end, we will see a huge jump in numbers.”
Kate Green, executive director of Home for All Continuum of Care, which works with the Heart of Illinois United Way in Peoria, agrees.
“COVID has touched every aspect of our lives, and it has made no exception for those experiencing homelessness,” she says. “From a lack of access to general daily resources due to the shuttering of businesses and public spaces, to the challenges providers have faced in maintaining adequate staffing, the impact is felt broadly. I can use a couple examples:
“Our providers are focused on gaining access to stable housing for clients. One of the barriers that many individuals experiencing homelessness face is personal identification. While case managers are adept at working through the process at the Social Security office and DMV, limited hours at those services due to COVID has caused a major disruption.
“While the Continuum has allocated substantial funds to providers from the CARES Act to assist in re-housing efforts, there is a shortage of available units,” she adds. “The eviction moratorium has had a few unintended consequences, one of which is that landlords are leery of accepting new tenants because they do not have recourse if the tenant does not pay. As such, there are units that are sitting empty and the inventory of available units is very low.”