[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6265992,"mediaKeyId","3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6","parentId",3087937,"title","City pushes HUD-funded lead-abatement program, urges eligible homes in 61701 to apply","audioSeconds",125,"startMs",5819000,"endMs",5944000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6&start=5819&end=5944","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6/thumbnail_5819000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6265992/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/City-pushes-HUD-funded-lead-abatement-program-urges-eligible-homes-in-61701-to-apply","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265992-325c446cfaeef00c20490104a28a17c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1776534624&Signature=gFAKN0-syRAZ1dUdh-JAqlb~cE820zvjEcnM5SPyFoFd2KuP3TT64L01lMu21OoKvevWv1eEQaHsIzD7GFVqGvx-qhS9X3jnIEXNdwp02OukniDKRzgKQysu10jn1sV2poy-aK2b~rAMGJ88UfVngHCnVa5iEbGaJ53FO~rwExqBWlO0U37FIM7ZcseE1ulEzsKGk64zou8AtPmQIBy40448QYt90m0U52SH2G7VDk3d-IaAk3zQytzlobGW5LBtwK4AXtDNsu9PLArtOP9hUTPFZ-zx4PkSCMm5cBwfA15yhrUMCFoT8lfHzpeccl~b9kv4dYuFDJmYNk6~llO2SQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bloomington, IL","date","2025-04-22T13:00:05Z","article","Deputy City Manager Billy Tice briefed the council committee of the whole on a HUD-funded lead-abatement program and urged eligible residents to apply.

Tice said the city received a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant to support lead-based paint assessment and remediation in older homes and that program outreach has previously underperformed for several reasons, including the program’s targeted eligibility. He described eligibility as follows: properties located in the 61701 ZIP code, units built before 1978, and households meeting low-to-moderate–income thresholds; priority is given to homes where children under age six live or visit regularly. The program, Tice said, is open to homeowners, tenants and landlords.

Staff said they will expand outreach with a dedicated web page, QR codes, regionally targeted notices and a phone line for inquiries and applications. The contact number cited during the presentation was (309) 434-2232, and staff said applicants may apply on the city website or call to confirm eligibility. The city asked the public to share the information and encouraged eligible households to apply because lead remediation is a health priority for homes built before 1978.

Ending: Staff presented the program as an active outreach priority and offered to send follow‑up application details to council members and to continue public outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee of the Whole - 4/21/2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff highlighted a HUD grant-funded lead-remediation program for homes built before 1978 in the 61701 ZIP code, available to owners, tenants and landlords who meet low/mod-income eligibility and prioritizing households with children under six.","taxTitle","Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois","taxId",2828,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6265997,"Public Safety and Community Relations Board reviews complaints, TASER reports and special meeting on Springfield murder",524,5294000,5818000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6&start=5294&end=5818","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6/thumbnail_5294000.jpg","/articles/6265997/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/Public-Safety-and-Community-Relations-Board-reviews-complaints-TASER-reports-and-special-meeting-on-Springfield-murder","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265997-0349870a6dac29631bbf6643a8d08d3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1776534624&Signature=K4NfptEIWqrEvl9qpJz0ZtHiNjTManXGwDzb5W7XJxu-RuZy1oqlUB1wmlEk5ZjezOGdyIAvrh9mSBh85i743Re5eroVSuomCRfsB2iqSJVkX9xSEcX8mFJZisfv~24lY6ZBUv~L9PfN7cTwZA3Fk82bX4I8Y~YOk~PxjoPoHLGWDbpL-5E9W7aC1ZsISI9lvxNpIY9vPD88bpxmNoaqa6Nyc-QG9MN5T6m4ehDbo2aKIOERYe4kjcMBdNS5HkGPE2HRU3tvRd7scMx0GV-WJuX5NrTs9Qg~g9sDWUYsLjAVUfhLpinGyBdv~97min06CPp1~u6fdAzbJqONE~MZag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A representative of the Public Safety and Community Relations Board (PSCRB) presented the board’s 2024 annual report to the council committee of the whole, describing monthly meeting topics, complaint reviews and outreach activities.

The PSCRB representative said the board meets monthly (fourth Wednesday), receives regular reports from the Bloomington Police Department on complaints, TASER deployments, traffic‑stop and ALPR data, and conducts an annual redacted review of complaints to identify trends and suggest policy or training improvements. The board reported having reviewed complaints and that, for 2024, nearly all calls for service were handled without complaint; the PSCRB cited 28 complaints in 2024 and noted year‑to‑year totals (17 in 2023, 20 in 2022, 32 in 2021) as part of trend monitoring.

The board described community outreach and engagement activities, and said it reviewed departmental training and recruitment updates. It noted that a proposal to add youth members was not approved originally by council but that two youth members have since joined the board; the PSCRB also said it currently has one unfilled position following the recent passing of Serena Fish.

A highlight the board emphasized was a special, well-attended meeting at the Bloomington Public Library addressing the Sonya Massey murder in Springfield, with participation from chiefs of nearby jurisdictions and the U.S. attorney’s office from Springfield; the meeting focused on training, hiring, discipline, policy and building trust through transparency.

Ending: The PSCRB asked the council to continue supporting public engagement and membership efforts; the board will continue quarterly and annual complaint reviews and community outreach work.","The Public Safety and Community Relations Board (PSCRB) summarized monthly activities, complaint review procedures, outreach and a special community meeting on the Sonya Massey murder in Springfield; the board also noted one vacant seat following a member's death.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6266002,"Bloomington Police Department presents 2024 annual report showing staffing, technology and targeted enforcement gains",2022,3255000,5277000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6&start=3255&end=5277","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6/thumbnail_3255000.jpg","/articles/6266002/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/Bloomington-Police-Department-presents-2024-annual-report-showing-staffing-technology-and-targeted-enforcement-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266002-7e6b4fcf11eebe8797c8a56c70d441f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1776534624&Signature=a8Q9bz-K~YWHdp8bw9A66se4vplqloo8gL4HHWB4awjDk4OEMf2aLoPW7osbjTUlDUdShkkugY4hfAIjIdovrCxLlmXYIRHqm0HybqmYLLmj9SGkloF9gHABuAgKr5hh6BlPhdh91ciCFeJEmTNsaGh0Qc3n13Zx8qSLlQIA8FgUxtHy1v~7Qcuq~TfX5YSHqULOjl3Wtajy-W9cyS9QbIqhvUmKeCpvaOlHJZDvIVT~XuSAOcxgpJuZU-eTEnKfLyucrs0zt~Uoeoj3JR9MWzzMJSnsINNGBMZPtIVuEElWMugoaguBcmM0HIFKhtk45BK6in6JKtKn8p2b7qE7ZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bloomington Police Department presented its 2024 annual report to the city council committee of the whole, summarizing staffing levels, calls for service, crime trends and investments in technology and community engagement.

The police chief told the council the department handled 70,707 calls for service in 2024, maintained an authorized sworn staff of roughly 133 officers at the end of last year (with recent declines the department is actively recruiting) and averaged a 1 minute, 19 second time to dispatch for EMS, fire and police requests. The chief also highlighted technology and tactical investments: 21 public-safety camera systems, 15 FAA‑licensed drone pilots, and 275 drone flights in 2024, plus use of the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) to process firearms evidence.

On crime trends, the chief reported a small overall crime increase (about 1.5%), a rise in gun seizures (up 16%) and noted a reduction in vehicle thefts (down 27%). He described a decline in persons shot (from nine to four in a comparison year) while acknowledging an increase in shots-fired incidents; a council member flagged a discrepancy between the figure shown on the meeting agenda and the figure on the presentation slide, and the chief confirmed that shooting-incident figures were under discussion and that his slides showed a higher percent increase.

The department described proactive street-crime and investigative work that led to increased gun recoveries, NIBIN matches that aided other jurisdictions and eight arrests in robbery cases (five adults, three juveniles). The criminal-investigations and patrol units, the chief said, handled a 10% increase in calls for service and recorded a 25% increase in traffic stops. Use-of-force incidents and citizen complaints remained a small fraction of calls: the chief reported 27 complaints and said use-of-force incidents occurred in 186 calls for service; the department emphasized continued de‑escalation training and audits.

Community outreach data cited by the chief included 310 public-engagement events, 19 “coffee with a cop” events, 17 neighborhood walks, and high satisfaction results from post‑contact surveys (more than 90% positive responses on treatment, fairness and understanding). Staff also said the department leveraged state and federal task forces and $56,800 in Illinois Department of Transportation grant funding for traffic-safety overtime.

Council members commended the department’s community engagement and asked follow-up questions about shooting statistics, the composition of the minority-and-police partnership group, investigations into retail theft networks and the operational impact of a local encampment near public works and the library. The chief encouraged security, clear rules and cameras for any proposed shelter or micro-community programs and said the department would pursue interagency partnerships in an organized response.

Ending: The chief made the written annual report available on the police department’s transparency page and invited further council questions and follow-up on staffing and crime data.","Chief presented the department’s 2024 annual report highlighting call volume, reduced complaints and increases in gun seizures, use of drones and public‑safety cameras; council members probed a discrepancy in shooting statistics on the slide deck versus the agenda.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6266008,"Bloomington leaders review standardized housing-incentive package to spur new development",2248,978000,3226000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6&start=978&end=3226","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3087937-7c751fbbb89e77b7963d098035bc6ae6/thumbnail_978000.jpg","/articles/6266008/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/Bloomington-leaders-review-standardized-housing-incentive-package-to-spur-new-development","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266008-39dcd655361d458d9990395821057e2c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776534624&Signature=Np4rrB0JcGlaQk~P4tzPaCI4YrmFyCDcEa4HWLNEj1CpsYFH5HEh9wmIgwavF2Og9RcjQr98Ge-5U04Lz3g8nm5ECFUXmHFk5uOgicfB5bPXwgPIFsS0sZELp1MkO4waSn~gSn9Q-L~uR8MYJ2mUojKHous5JwL80Ux-nngi633mRCLmef280Q-iPG4LKeyaTKgzGGPmYhfQoP4OCnZKxj-6hTdShy5ytK7GKhQdBIWsYXGqn~jV6xfcW7cnQkkNZUVR6sgcPl~cXb9urKK0VO2C9n4-io2HamuNo-wPszAC5dgvZ6LY6zra54lGkm2l9WsmxwhDlx2NUbqEYk2jsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Jurgens and Senior Deputy City Manager Billy Tice presented a standardized housing-incentive policy to the Bloomington City Council committee of the whole, describing a package of fee reductions, tax-related incentives and fast-track plan-review options intended to attract new housing development.

The proposal targets affordable housing, workforce housing, “missing middle” housing and multifamily projects and would provide a base 50% reduction in city development fees for qualifying projects and a higher reduction for tax-credit projects. Staff said tax-credit projects could receive a full (100%) waiver of city fees; other incentives discussed included up to a 75% TIF (tax-increment financing) allocation, a density bonus tied to a 20% affordable-unit commitment, a temporary property-tax freeze on the city’s portion of property taxes and possible sales and food-and-beverage tax reductions subject to mayor-and-council approval.

Tice said the program would be time-limited: “We are proposing this program to end by May 31, 2028,” giving developers roughly three years to start projects, a window staff said is intended to accommodate competitive tax-credit application cycles and complex capital-stacking needs. Staff displayed a development example showing that Lincoln Lofts (a two-phase tax-credit project) would have received approximately $268,000 in fee savings under the proposed structure.

Why it matters: City staff told the council that Bloomington has added jobs faster than it has retained workers who live locally; staff cited an Economic Development Corporation study showing growth of roughly 5,100 people who work in Bloomington but live elsewhere and estimated roughly $270 million in retail and consumer spending leaving the community annually. The incentive package is framed as a tool to capture at least some of that activity by encouraging construction and occupancy of housing near places of employment.

Council members asked for clarifications and raised concerns about specific provisions. Council member Ward pressed staff on a provision that defines some new single-family residential homes as having an estimated market value under $400,000 and asked whether that effectively equates to “affordable.” Staff replied the $400,000 threshold was raised after outreach to developers because building costs made a lower threshold infeasible and that the single-family threshold is separate from the policy’s explicit affordable-housing incentives. Ward also asked staff to calculate what household income would be required to keep a mortgage payment under a 25% income threshold; staff offered to provide that modeling.

Council member Crumpler asked about a minimum-size requirement for new subdivisions; staff confirmed the draft requires a subdivision of at least 50 homes to qualify for the subdivision-specific incentives but said that individual single-family developments could still qualify under separate single-family provisions.

On permitting timelines, staff said “fast-tracking” for major projects would seek to cut typical plan-review times (currently targeted at 10 business days for major projects) roughly in half by prioritizing submissions and routing single-family plans directly to residential building inspectors. Staff also said developers could still seek exceptions or negotiate development agreements for exceptional projects; recent projects approved under individual development agreements already used some of the incentives being standardized.

Several council members asked about infrastructure costs and how enterprise funds (water, sewer, storm) factor into fee waivers. Staff said developers typically build new subdivision infrastructure (roads, curbs, utilities) and that the city would follow up with additional detail on enterprise-fund impacts and long-term property-tax capture following the five-year property-tax freeze period.

Council members also raised resident experience at an existing tax-credit property, Lincoln Lofts, urging that any incentive policy include mechanisms to monitor quality and resident concerns so problems do not arise after construction. Staff noted those operational oversight issues as a separate but related priority.

Next steps: Staff said the draft ordinance could be placed on the council agenda next Monday if the council provides direction to move forward. No formal vote on the policy occurred at the committee meeting.

Ending: City staff said they will return with additional materials, model calculations (including enterprise-fund impacts and affordability modeling), and the formal ordinance language for council consideration if directed to proceed.","City staff presented a standardized housing-incentive policy that would reduce or waive city fees, offer TIF and density bonuses, and include a program sunset; council members pressed for details on affordability, infrastructure costs and oversight.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City pushes HUD-funded lead-abatement program, urges eligible homes in 61701 to apply

Public Safety and Community Relations Board reviews complaints, TASER reports and special meeting on Springfield murder

Bloomington Police Department presents 2024 annual report showing staffing, technology and targeted enforcement gains

Bloomington leaders review standardized housing-incentive package to spur new development