The new state budget’s social service initiatives – to take on homelessness and food deserts – were the subject of the Pritzker administration’s visit to Peoria Monday.

In discussing the new “Home Illinois” program, Illinois’ new “homelessness czar,” Christine Haley, said, “Homelessness is a crisis of the collective will to address it. Ppolicy failures lead to homelessness, but the good news is that with strong, equitable public policy, we can find a way out.

“Homelessness is a racial justice issue.”

The goal is “functional zero” homelessness, where the number getting to services is greater than the number of new homeless.

Gov. JB Pritzker also announced a “grocery initiative” to help cities set up food co-ops and help independent grocers open or expand in underserved areas.