Service providers who work with the homeless estimate that there are less than 250 homeless people in McLean County at any given time.
Several advocates for the homeless spoke at a community meeting Wednesday night called by the Bloomington Police Department to address complaints about the homeless by some downtown business owners.
Lori Kimbrough, who works with the social service agency PATH, said most of the county's homeless sleep at night in shelters. She estimates that only about 35 people live on the streets.
"As far as the total number, in a community this size, I think it's relatively low," Kimbrough said.
She noted, however, that county shelters such as the Salvation Army's Safe Harbor and Home Sweet Home Ministries are often operating at or over capacity.
A few business owners also attended the meeting. Ruth and Joe Haney, who own businesses and an apartment building west of Bloomington's downtown, complained that they often find clothing, beer bottles and other trash on their property. They said they believe the items are left by homeless people who frequent a nearby blood bank.
Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner said few street homeless people actually commit crimes. He noted that asking for money, standing or even sleeping on a sidewalk is not illegal. Trespassing on private property is, but Heffner said owners must see the trespassing and be able to identify the trespasser.
He recommended business owners who have concerns should outfit their property with surveillance cameras.
Ruth Haney said she had been hoping for more help from the police. "I expected to hear some solutions to how we could solve the problem and mostly we heard from the organizations that help (the homeless)," she said.
Heffner encouraged business owners not to call 911 about the homeless unless they witness a crime or an emergency. He said they could use the police non-emergency number to report their concerns or call PATH, which will send out a social worker to check on the homeless person.