11-16-16 Council Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Residents report that staying at the rest stop helped them transition to permanent housing; many reported they still face barriers to obtaining permanent housing. Service providers identified opportunities to create stronger linkages between the rest stops and service providers. Service providers see rest stops as a cost efficient approach to provide transitional housing to the unhoused. Moreover, most service providers think rest stops are a good start, but that more is needed. Thirty percent of neighboring residents and businesses indicated they were unaware of the City’s rest stop program Eighty-four percent of neighboring residents and businesses indicated that they support of the rest stop program. Sixty-two percent of neighboring residents and businesses indicated they feel “safe” or “very safe” in their neighborhood. Opportunity Village A second transitional housing strategy Eugene is also experimenting with is a micro- housing community called “Opportunity Village” (OVE). In the first 18 months (July 2013-December 2014), OVE served 77 people for various lengths of time—with 27 voluntary transitions and 13 departing due to rule violations. Between January 1 and June 30, 2015, OVE served an additional 34 individuals. OVE consists of up to 30 micro-homes, community showers, kitchens and other communal areas. OVE residents helped construct the homes, contribute rent, and stay for anywhere from one week to longer than a year. Like the rest stops, Opportunity Village was approved through a City Council action. The process was initiated by the City Manager at the direction of City Council in 2011. The objective was to find a location to pilot project a low-cost, micro-housing project. The identified location was a one-acre parcel of city-owned land on North Garfield Street. Unlike the rest stops, Opportunity Village was permitted under Eugene Code 9.2450, which classifies OVE as a “Homeless Shelter.” As a homeless shelter, the approval required a conditional use permit based on the I-3 (Heavy Industrial) zoning of the property. Data provided on the OVE website suggest that the approach is cost effective: Start-up costs were about $220,000 and funded with around $98,000 in private cash donations, plus an estimated $114,000 of in-kind materials and labor. Operating costs are around $1,200/month. OVE concludes: “If capital costs are amortized over 5 years and similar operating costs are assumed, OVE comes at a cost of just $3/night/person. Of which, $1/night is paid or raised by our residents.” Following are key findings from our survey research. Nearly 1/3 of the residents heard about OVE through social media networks. A Review of Transitional Housing Strategies in Eugene October 2015 Page | iii