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ATTACHMENT A Strategic Priority Issue Develop a Strategy to Help the Homeless in Eugene Action Plan At the February 2005 retreat of the City of Eugene Mayor, City Council, and Executive Managers, eight strategic issues were identified, one of which was to ~Develop a strategy to help the homeless in Eugene." Based on the discussion outcomes, a desire was shown to determine the City's future role in addressing this complex, international issue. The Homelessness Action Planning Team will develop a 3 to 5 year action plan with greatest focus on the first 18 to 24 months. Because homelessness has the potential to touch every resident and area within the City, our team has expanded the definition of ~the homeless" to include community members who are ~at risk" of becoming homeless--persons who cannot afford food and shelter. This action plan will identify gaps in current services, promote public awareness, foster collaboration with stakeholders, and propose appropriate actions. We recognize that action items developed as part of this initiative could influence other priority issues such as those for neighborhoods, policing, and arts & outdoors, and that a multitude of initiatives and ongoing programs contribute to the overall effort. This initiative is truly a community effort. A. Planning Horizon and Focus In order to make informed decisions, many areas will need to be evaluated. However, we propose several strategic areas to allow us to focus our efforts and resources: 1. Review the City's past and present service delivery and staff training. 2. Review the Eugene Human Rights Commission (HRC) priorities on homeless/at risk community members. 3. Assemble community stakeholders to determine current service levels and areas for collaboration. 4. Engage homeless/at risk community members to determine how best to assist them in their transition away from homelessness. 5. Prioritize potential service enhancements based on greatest need and resource requirements. 6. Stress the importance of the issue to county and local elected officials; request their leadership and support so priorities can be implemented. Given the potential scope and breadth of the initiative, related actions and tasks are grouped into short and longer-term horizons: Phase 1 (18 to 24 Months) - Action items that define, analyze and prioritize internal city and community-focused initiatives. These priorities will be used by elected officials to approve and fund the longer-term direction of homeless/at risk assistance. Phase II (3 to 5 Years) - Longer-term approved priorities. These priorities will be initiated with the understanding that some go far beyond the five-year time horizon. B. Strategic Priority Issue Outcomes The problem ofhomelessness is not isolated to Eugene; the City will need a great deal of assistance, especially from Lane County, the State of Oregon and the Federal Government. The following deliverables illustrate the magnitude of the local problem and of how we can best help address the issues: Page 1 of 1 7/6/2005