10-23-17 City Council Agenda Packet

Home Browse Search

County Behavioral Health Center from December 2015 until August 2016, at which time they relocated to the Eugene Mission, where they operated one rest stop until April 2017. NHS is currently operating a car camping site of six residents at the corner of 34th Ave. & Hilyard St., while they, the City and community members continue to look for a long term site for their rest stop operations. Overview of Programs In addition to small bungalows (64-80 SF) and Conestoga huts (60 SF), OVE hosts a number of community spaces and shared infrastructure, such as showers, bathrooms, laundry, kitchen, raised garden beds, a gazebo built by volunteers in 2016, and a heated yurt with computer access and a library. OVE also provides water, electric and internet for communal purposes, as individual dwellings are not developed with these amenities. Infrastructure at rest stops is more limited. Rest stops consist of a mix of tents on raised platforms and Conestoga huts with additional covered areas for cooking, storage and warming. There is no electricity provided, but municipal water is available at the current CSS "Safe Spot" sites. Water was also available to NHS residents at the Eugene Mission site, and Good Samaritan, neighbor to the current NHS car camping site, is providing access to water at that location. The perimeters of both OVE and rest stops are fenced and ingress and egress controlled. Both programs are responsible for providing restrooms and trash service at their respective sites. Residents at all sites go through an application and screening process and must abide by relevant City administrative rules as well as those required by the operating entity. These include the prohibition of weapons, drugs, alcohol, theft, violence, overnight visitors, threatening or disruptive behavior, and activity that damages or disrupts the property or the property of the surrounding area. Failure to follow rules could lead to a resident's eviction from a site. All sites also require that residents contribute to site upkeep and maintenance. Each organization maintains a slightly different governance model, but all include residents in decision making and day-to-day management of the sites. Resident site councils have been employed by NHS and OVE. Each organization has a board or steering committee that provides oversight. While these programs are viewed as transitional, it is acknowledged that participants require different periods of time to gain stability and work to transition to more stable, permanent housing. Site managers take different approaches to setting limits on length of stay. All provide mentoring and support in setting and meeting personal goals to help residents improve their long-term situations. NHS and OVE have no hard limits, while CSS implements a length -of -stay limit of 10 months for their "Safe Spot" Program, which includes a 30 -day trial period, and a 6 -month stay with the possibility of a 3 -month extension. Some of the programs also utilize different forms of peer support, employment training and volunteer opportunities.