Bloomington mayor and service providers discuss city strategy to reduce homelessness

What this episode covers

Earlier this month, the City of Bloomington announced it is partnering with local housing groups to tackle issues related to homelessness.  The plan calls for a short-term pause on welcoming people who are unhoused from outside the region to overnight emergency shelters, focusing on reunification services instead. Long term, the plan calls for increasing the number of housing units with rent under $500 per month.  Those could include single room occupancy and studio apartments, shared housing and tiny homes. The plan also envisions restructuring the local criminal justice system around in-patient recovery and mental health care for repeat offenders. Then this week, the Bloomington Common Council heard office and departments present budget proposals for 2025. Many of the departments presented concerns and strategies for the housing crisis locally. One of the ideas presented was an eviction prevention fund. Read more: Bloomington's Thomson at the DNC talks homelessness, water accident, annexation NPR reported the U.S. Supreme Court’s biggest decision addressing homelessness in decades ruled that cities can ban people from sleeping and camping in public places. The decision came down in June. It overturned lower court rulings that deemed it cruel and unusual under the Eighth Amendment to punish people for sleeping outside if they had nowhere else to go. This Friday on Noon Edition, we'll talk with Bloomington's mayor and local service providers about their strategies to address homelessness in the community.  You can follow us on X @WFIUWTIUNews or join us on the air by calling 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send questions for the show to [email protected]. You can also record your questions and send them in through email. Guests Kerry Thomson, Bloomington mayor Rev. Forrest Gilmore, Beacon Inc. executive director Emily Pike, New Hope for Families executive director