Springfield’s Black Lives Matter highlights a stark racial gap in homelessness, with Black individuals eight times more likely to experience homelessness compared to their white counterparts within the county, according to a recent report from the University of Illinois Chicago. This disparity, which doubles the national average, underscores systemic issues affecting communities statewide.
Josh Sabo, Heartland Housed’s executive director, acknowledges this as a broader trend, stating, “There’s a very clear disparity among who experiences homelessness and people of color are disproportionately affected.” He attributes this disproportion to various factors including poverty and racial inequality.
