Although NIMBYism isn’t an issue in Champaign-Urbana and at least luxury high rises keep popping up here with remarkable frequency, we haven’t quite overcome the bane of homelessness. Maybe one day we will but we are not quite there yet. To take stock of where Champaign County stands vis-à-vis homelessness, this year’s Point-in-Time count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness will take place on Thursday, January 30th from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This annual survey is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and helps determine federal funding allocations for programs assisting homeless individuals and households. It’s organized locally by the Champaign County Continuum of Service Providers to the Homeless (CSPH). If you are interested in volunteering to help ensure success of the 2020 Point-in-Time survey or to otherwise join efforts to end homelessness in Champaign county feel free to contact CSPH coordinator Thomas Bates at 217-328-3313 or tbates@ccrpc.org.
Top image: Four vacant park benches are covered in a thin layer of snow. The ground is covered with snow as well. Turquoise and orange lighting is interspersed among trees in the background and the tree branches on the right out of focus are covered with blue and green lights. Photo from Champaign County Regional Planning Commission website.