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ommunities across Lane County are <br />experiencing a housing and homelessness <br />crisis, exemplified by the 12,998 homeless <br />individuals who received human services from one or <br />more agencies in calendaryear2016. The 2017 Point <br />in Time Count identified 1,529 people experiencing <br />homelessness. Of those, 1003 were unsheltered, 269 <br />were families with children, 640 were chronically <br />homeless, 164 were veterans, 435 had a mental illness, <br />and 254 had chronic alcohol or substance abuse issues. <br />Lane County public school districts reported 2,388 <br />homeless students during the 2015-16 school year. <br />Since 2010, US Department of Housing and Urban <br />Development (HUD) Community Development Block <br />Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership <br />Program (HOME) funding has faced drastic cuts, which <br />has resulted in diminished capacity and resources for <br />continuing critical programs. In contrast to national <br />trends, manywest coast cities, including those in Lane <br />County, have experienced increases in homelessness, <br />especially among some of our most vulnerable <br />populations. We have growing populations, low vacancy <br />rates, and, as a result, housing costs that are rising <br />significantly faster than incomes, especially for our <br />lowest -income households. <br />Lane County, Eugene, and Springfield have taken <br />unprecedented steps at the local level to respond to the <br />crises of homelessness and housing affordability. We <br />have committed millions of additional dollars, worked <br />to expand shelter options and remove regulatory <br />barriers, and engaged our local non-profit, business <br />and philanthropic partners in a range of innovative <br />responses to the housing crisis. To be successful in <br />responding to this crisis, however, we will need the <br />federal government's full partnership in the effort. <br />The progress made in our cities through the <br />Administration's Mayors Challenge to End Veteran <br />Homelessness has demonstrated what is possible <br />with adequate federal resources to leverage local <br />investments and with focused efforts to improve <br />collaboration across federal. state. and <br />local government. <br />