1:02 pm UTC Apr. 14, 2021 By almost every measure imaginable, South Peoria is in bad shape. But rallying the community around solutions has, so far, seen little success. Many pay those problems little mind. Most probably don't spend much time there seeing them. They may have been warned away as a new resident — "Don't go down the hill." Or they're avoiding the effects of those problems: crumbling infrastructure, pervasive unemployment, lack of businesses, higher crime rates. But placing South Peoria out of sight or out of mind has not repaired its woes. Understanding the disparity between life there and elsewhere in central Illinois is reason enough for some to want to improve the area. But if that doesn't do it for you, try this: The problems of South Peoria are affecting your own neighborhoods, the value of your own home, even your tax bill.