Home Sweet Home Ministries

Representatives from five McLean County housing and service outreach organizations attended the Continuum of Care conference on Thursday in Bloomington. They spoke about their successes, challenges and what the future of housing looks like.

Violations can escalate from a citation to a ban from the area to arrest. The ordinance states people will be given a chance to comply first and specifies it isn't meant to deny anyone access to public space "solely because the person is homeless."

The revisions are meant to curtail “camping-type activities, excessive amounts of personal property, unattended personal property, storage of personal property on site, blocking of access points and excessive occupation of waiting areas," according to a memo from city staff.

The Town of Normal is looking to strengthen its code of conduct in and around Uptown Station, which has seen an increase in homeless people gathering on the property in recent months.

Agencies that provide homeless services in Bloomington-Normal are sounding an alarm over changing federal guidelines that may reduce funding for those programs.

Bloomington-Normal saw a drop in its homeless population in early 2026, while regional data indicates an increase. Advocates attribute that to more robust reporting and more counties participating.

Leaders of Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington and Hope on 5th in Lincoln shared stories about housing shelters during Tuesday's Women to Women Spring Forum at the Bloomington Public Library.

When the donation goes through, Home Sweet Home will own properties that serve the unhoused population on three adjacent blocks south of Downtown Bloomington.

Shelter villages offer temporary and private places for the unhoused to sleep and store belongings. One of the newest, The Bridge, opened recently in central Illinois.

The head of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council says addressing residential needs is one key piece to realizing business growth in Bloomington.