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<br />3 <br /> <br />Homelessness Efforts in Eugene <br /> <br />Eugene and Lane County are fortunate to have a number of social service providers in our <br />community who offer needed services to the unhoused with compassion, resourcefulness, <br />effectiveness, and innovation. From housing, mental health services, job skills, benefits assistance <br />and addiction recovery to showers, laundry, clothing, meals and help obtaining IDs, these social <br />service providers are vital for providing the on-the-ground services that people need to get back on <br />their feet, and most of them operate with substantial help from volunteers. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Local, county, state, and federal government agencies all contribute funding to affordable housing <br />and social services in our area. The Lane County Human Services Commission and Human Services <br />Department are the primary coordinating and decision-making entities for the bulk of funding that <br />is directed toward human services. In addition, the Poverty & Homelessness Board (PHB) consists <br />of representatives from Lane County, the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield, and a variety of <br />stakeholder groups. It provides policy leadership and guidance and pursues strategies related to <br />increasing housing and shelter, promoting awareness and advocacy, and preventing homelessness <br />in the region. The City of Eugene is also involved in a variety of targeted efforts related to <br />homelessness, such as increasing and preserving our city’s affordable housing and social service <br />facilities, addressing youth homelessness, and developing alternative approaches and options to the <br />traditional law enforcement and criminal justice system for those who need it. <br /> <br />Another specific effort the City is involved with—and the subject of this handbook—is providing <br />additional safe spaces for unhoused people to sleep. The Rest Stop and Car Camping Programs were <br />approved by the City of Eugene as permitted overnight sleeping. These programs provide safe and <br />legal places for people who do not have shelter to stabilize and work on transitioning to more <br />permanent housing. <br /> <br />The Rest Stop and Car Camping Programs are not the City’s only approach or solution to <br />homelessness, but they help to fill a gap, both for individuals who are transitioning off the streets <br />and into housing, and for the agencies and partners working toward long-term solutions. <br /> <br />In addition to the Rest Stop and Car Camping Programs, the tiny home village model and the Dusk <br />to Dawn program (which provides places where unhoused people can sleep overnight but must <br />vacate during the day) illustrate additional efforts to provide shelter for people experiencing <br />homelessness in our community. While not the focus of this handbook, City staff can provide more <br />information about these programs and others upon request. <br />January 23, 2019, Work Session - Item 2