New housing, sidewalk improvements coming to Peoria through federal tax dollars

Federal tax dollars will fund two projects in the Peoria area.

Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) was joined by leaders from Peoria on Friday to announce a total of $1 million in funding for the projects.

One of the projects will build eight new single-family homes in South Peoria on the site of the former McKinley School, with $500,000 going towards the work.  The former school was torn down in 2023.

1st District Councilwoman Denise Jackson says it’s a “long awaited” improvement for the area.

“Safe, quality, affordable home ownership is absolutely necessary for the South side in order to thrive,” Jackson said.  “And this investment of $500,000 into new quality homes, really represents a new chapter on the South side.”

The homes will be built by Habitat for Humanity.  Construction is expected to begin in the fall, and will take from 2-3 years for all eight homes to be built.

Sorensen said the lack of affordable housing was something he had long heard about in Peoria, and it’s an issue that’s not unique to the city.  He says it’s a nationwide problem.

The other project is $500,000 for sidewalk improvements in the city.  Peoria says most of the work will occur in neighborhoods south of McClure.

3rd District Councilman Tim Riggenbach says the sidewalk improvements will help boost the quality of life in Peoria.

“Helping kids find that safe path to school, the people that walk to work, connecting our neighborhoods with our commercial corridors, those are all things that add vibrancy to our neighboorhoods, it helps people feel safe in their neighborhoods,” Riggenbach said.

Peoria says it will conduct an audit to find out which sidewalks are in need of improvements the most.