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Residents indicate that it was not difficult to apply to live at OVE. <br />Residents indicated that staying at the camp helps them feel secure, safe in <br />their neighborhood, and independent. <br />OVE provides a space in which individuals regularly interact with one <br />another and establish community. <br />Residents indicate camp staff are helpful and site rules are effective. <br />Site rules directly impacted the neighboring residents and businesses level <br />of support for Opportunity Village. <br />Residents view the operational structure and rules of Opportunity Village <br />positively. <br />Staying at the rest stop helps residents transition to permanent housing; <br />some reported that the still face barriers to obtaining permanent housing. <br />While opinions vary on their current connection (some report strong <br />connections, others, weaker connections) with Opportunity Village, many <br />service providers see an opportunity for improvement. <br />Neighboring residents and businesses generally felt the neighborhood <br />surrounding Opportunity Village was perceived as safe. <br />Eighty percent of neighboring residents and businesses indicated they were <br />aware of OVE. <br />Survey results show that nearly 90% of neighboring residents and <br />businesses were supportive of the OVE program. <br />Many neighboring residents and businesses reported that they had not <br />noticed any changes since OVE’s inception. <br />Conclusions <br />Our general conclusion from the review is that the programs are working. Our <br />specific conclusions integrate themes that we identified through the literature <br />review, case studies and surveys. <br />The lack of affordable housing remains the biggest barrier in providing for the <br />unhoused in Eugene. While this is an obvious point and is perhaps more expansive <br />than the scope of this study intends, it is important to acknowledge the challenge <br />Eugene continues to face in providing housing that is affordable for all residents. In <br />short, though many factors contribute to homelessness, the absence of housing <br />affordable to people with little or no income presents a significant barrier to <br />unhoused individuals that want to transition into permanent housing. <br />The “Housing First” strategy is a demonstrated transitional housing strategy that <br />is effective and saves money. Housing First is an effective alternative for <br />individuals that are unhoused, particularly those who face substance abuse <br />disorders along with mental and physical health barriers. While the Housing First <br />approach requires key components like vacant land, financial stability, and <br />Page | iv Community Planning Workshop <br /> <br />