SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Springfield City Council has voted to approve the Heartland Continuum of Care Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness.
This plan was created by several community leaders, through Heartland Housed, to bring homelessness in Springfield to functional zero by 2028.
Functional zero means anyone who is newly homeless would be able to find housing within 30 days.
The City of Springfield committed $250,000 to the project. In addition, Sangamon County committed $250,000 and Capital Township committed $125,000, according to Josh Sabo, the Executive Director of Heartland Housed.
The change will have a large impact on the 264 people that are homeless in Sangamon County on any given day. But organizers say this will also help the city save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"We say that we can house somebody for around $13,000," said Nick Dodson, a Housing Navigator for Helping Hands. "I think that's a pretty fiduciary responsible thing to do, when it can literally help mitigate their mental health, their physical health, and their overall sense of well being and literally supporting people that are the most vulnerable in society."
The idea of creating plans to end homelessness is growing across the country. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker listed ending homelessness in the state as a goal of his administration in his inauguration speech.
Organizers say ending homelessness within 5 years is possible in Springfield because of a unique set of factors. One is that cost of living in the area is relatively low compared to larger urban areas looking to end homelessness.
"When you think about Springfield, compared to what homelessness looks like in Chicago or Dallas, or some of these larger cities, addressing homelessness is different here," said Sabo. "I think, given the cost of living in our community, we have a real opportunity to make an impact with a funding level that isn't as high as what Chicago has."
The plan not only addresses those who are currently homeless, but also plans for those who are expected to become homeless by 2028. Right now, the group is working to expand the partnerships it has in the community and expand affordable housing options.
"We want local developers, the landlords associations, the home builders associations, to recognize that there's a lot of resources available that will be coming from the city, the state, and beyond to help house these individuals," said Dodson.
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