PEORIA MAGAZINE March 2023

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S P O T L I G H T

COMMERCE COMPASSION, FINDING A BALANCE

Regarding Downtown’s homeless population, ‘a little respect can go a long way,’ but it cuts both ways

Kshe Bernard of the Jolt Harm Reduction program checks on homeless huddled in tents

BY PHIL LUCIANO PHOTO BY RON JOHNSON

J ohn Kittinger sees two faces of Downtown homelessness. There’s the glower from busi ness owners and customers quick to judge street people as scary and po larizing. And there’s the indifference of panhandlers and others who sometimes show little respect to businesses, pass ersby and surroundings. Kittinger has witnessed this head butting dynamic first-hand. Of his 57 years, more than a decade has been spent on the streets of Peoria. “I’ve seen both sides,” Kittinger said. “People can be cruel to the homeless. But the homeless cause a lot of their own problems.” Downtown faces a growing co nundrum in balancing the rights of businesses and the homeless, both of which want to survive. “How do we find a middle ground that meets all needs?” said Chris Schaffner, executive director of Jolt

Harm Reduction, which works with people struggling with drugs and other problems, including homelessness. GETTING HELP, HELPING YOURSELF According to official estimates, Peoria’s homeless population numbers about 70. However, that demographic is hard to pin down for exact counting, and thus that total is likely low, Schaffner says. Still, he says, about half of the city’s homeless congregate and live Downtown, which is conveniently located near many social-service agencies, along with the bus station. Plus, the high-traffic intersections are attractive to panhandlers, though not all of them are homeless. “Some are (employed workers) just trying to supplement their crappy income,” Schaffner said.

Still, panhandling discourages fun-seekers from visiting Downtown, according to businesses there. “Many (people) won’t want to come down and deal with the constant panhandling,” said Kelly Revallo, manager of the Neon Bison, a saloon at 514 Main St. “Many of these homeless are suffering from mental health and/ or drug issues, so that makes some of them very unpredictable. So, it has been a struggle at times to convince neighboring areas that it is safe to enjoy our Downtown nightlife.” Next door, Janine Cook, owner of Hoops Pub and Pizza, 516 Main St., shares a similar concern about a lack of mental-health care for many of the homeless people she sees congregating around her front entrance. “Homeless people bother customers by begging for money,” she said. “They also take up our outside seating.” Kittinger said he witnessed such

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