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The number of homeless people in Illinois is rising, but the state’s spending on homeless prevention and other housing programs is headed in the other direction.
Facing a tight budget year with constrained spending and limited natural revenue growth, the $55.1 billion fiscal year 2026 budget that took effect July 1 reduces total funding for housing programs by more than $14 million, including Pritzker’s signature initiative designed to eliminate homelessness in Illinois.
“Last year homelessness increased 116% in the state of Illinois,” Doug Kenshol, co-founder of the Illinois Shelter Alliance, told Capitol News Illinois. “To be in the midst of this crisis and then have the state cut funding was beyond disappointing.”
Tight budget? Ok, sure, but that $5 million for NASCAR’s operating expenses could’ve come in handy. And I’m sure there were other useless re-appropriations just like this one…
A recently enacted Illinois state budget has listed $500,000 for Lincoln College, a local institution that has been closed since the spring semester of 2022. This is part of the $55.3 billion budget that narrowly passed and went into effect on July 1. […]
State Senator Sally Turner, a Republican from Lincoln, explained that the money has been part of the budget since 2018 and continues to roll over due to its inclusion in a previously passed law. “So that money’s still in there. However, it wouldn’t have any place to go to now,” Turner said.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 10:40 am
Previous Post: Big Beautiful Bill roundup: Pritzker says special session may not be needed, warns 330,000 Illinoisans could lose Medicaid; Planned Parenthood of Illinois pledges to continue care despite cuts (Updated)
Next Post: Catching up with the congressionals
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If only State Senator Sally Turner were in some sort of position to put pressure on it. I guess we’ll just have to wait and hope some day that we figure out whose job it is to approve budgets and laws.
Comment by Irreverent Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 10:48 am
I almost posted a much longer and rambling version of the following in the morning briefing thread related to the story on rt 66, but it seems fortuitously more on topic for this thread.
The millions of dollars spent on nostalgia, bothers me a great deal. Nostalgia is fine, using public money for it is not.
I sometimes wonder if future historians will link the outsized importance of nostalgia of a specific generation, to the overall decline of the US.
Instead of looking to the future, we’ve focused on the past to the point of dumping millions of dollars to preserve the mid-1950s because a certain generation is unable to face their own mortality, and has decided everyone else should stay stuck in the past too.
From a 2013 study;
“We found that people over age 55 represent about 80 percent of the domestic travelers on Route 66.”
And no, it’s not history. It’s white-washing. If it was history there would more than the minimal if any references to the fact that many of the towns along rt 66 were sundown towns. Significant groups of people have a very different memory of that time period than the version that is being promoted to the public.
And we’re spending millions of dollars of state money promoting the nostalgia, not the history.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 10:55 am
Reminder that one of the biggest factors in homelessness is overly restrictive zoning, which Springfield had a chance to rein in this session but chose not to. Shameful.
Comment by Joseph M Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 10:57 am
One solution still in need of funds to complete in the Bloomington-Normal area-
https://www.wandtv.com/community/home-sweet-home-ministries-seeking-750-000-to-complete-tiny-home-shelter-project/article_21eaacfb-58c0-47dd-8863-d1033355c707.html
Comment by Anon221 Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 11:04 am
==explained that the money has been part of the budget since 2018==
There’s a line item in the budget to cap I-290 through Oak Park. It’s been reappropriated from one budget year to the next since 2005. Yet nothiing happens. There are similar projects.
Zero-based budgeting probably solves the problem of zombie budget requests.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 11:07 am
Uh, the $500k to Lincoln College is bond funding (Build IL Fund Fund).
Comment by Eastside Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 11:46 am
Perhaps if Sen. TURNER set the alarm to next appropriate bill she file amendment to delete. Meanwhile Ds will not allow spending,
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 11:58 am
===Zero-based budgeting probably solves the problem of zombie budget requests.===
Not exactly. Beyond zero-based budgeting being almost as big a fraud as forensic audits, zombie budget requests are like the names on the “Fumigation List” … they have sponsors. Sponsors someone is going to need future support / vote of … .
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 12:36 pm
Homelessness is maybe one of the hardest things to solve. In my 34 years with DHS it seemed like for some they fell through the cracks. Others simply did not fit in the cracks and no number of available homes would help. To me if they really want to get somewhere it almost take a pointed effort of military style. Going in with the idea we need the resources including talent and money. Not many are up for the task or like it. I can tell you many unused buildings after COVID but I am just talking out of my head, is that possible.
Comment by clec dcn Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 1:26 pm
How about $500M for a “quantum campus”?
Comment by Quantum Folly Monday, Jul 7, 25 @ 3:23 pm