Agenda Packet 1-23-19 Work Session

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25 Frequently Asked Questions Why would the City or community spend time and money on this? In October 2015, the Eugene City Council formally recognized, via Council resolution, the housing and homelessness situation in Eugene as a crisis. Eugene and the surrounding community face a severe lack of housing for people with low or extremely low income. Over 1,000 people in Lane County sleep without nightly shelter. While the City works with partners on long-term solutions, like preventing homelessness, supporting human services and increasing access to housing and good-paying jobs, programs like the rest stops, car camping, and providing other forms of basic shelter are needed to increase health and safety for those who are homeless as well as for those who are housed. These programs are not only successful at providing unhoused people with stability and better opportunities for taking steps out of homelessness, but they also reduce the impacts of unsanctioned camping on our environment and neighborhoods. What is the difference between a rest stop, car camping, and other programs like Dusk to Dawn and tiny home villages?  Car camping, or sleeping overnight in vehicles in designated areas, has been permitted for nearly two decades and allows up to six vehicles to be used for sleeping at a site owned or leased by a religious institution, business or public entity. The definition of vehicles has been expanded over the years to include car, tent, camper, trailer, and Conestoga hut. Sanitary facilities and garbage disposal services must be provided. Although not required, most sites in Eugene are managed by St. Vincent de Paul, who provides screening and placement of participants in the program as well as portable restrooms and trash service at no cost to the property owner. St. Vincent’s currently manages over 70 spots at 43 addresses in Eugene and Springfield.  The Rest Stop Program was established in 2013 to provide additional temporary emergency shelter options for the unhoused. It allows up to 20 people to camp in tents or Conestoga huts at a designated site that must be approved by the Eugene City Council. The City enters into an agreement with an operator to oversee the site. The operator is then responsible for providing sanitary facilities, garbage disposal services, placement and screening of residents, onsite management of each site, a liaison to work with nearby neighbors to address any concerns, and support and assistance to residents to help them transition to permanent housing. Sites are fenced, and while residents typically leave the site during the day, they are able to leave their belongings at the site.  The Dusk to Dawn Program was established in 2015 and provides overnight emergency shelter to unhoused members of the community. Dusk to Dawn sites are for overnight sleeping only, so residents come with their belongings in the evening and leave with their belongings the following morning. Dusk to Dawn sites must be approved by City Council.  Tiny home villages can take different forms and follow different processes to establish. Opportunity Village Eugene (OVE) consists of basic small bungalows and Conestoga huts for sleeping, and shared community infrastructure such as showers, restrooms, kitchen, laundry area, and heated communal yurt for meeting space and computer access. OVE was permitted on industrial land under a Conditional Use Permit filed and approved through the City’s Planning Department. The non-profit organization who operates OVE is also establishing a more permanent tiny home village in which each unit will be considered a permanent dwelling with its own kitchenette and bathroom. For this project, the organization purchased the property, and the project is permitted as multi-family housing.  All sites have rules and policies that govern behavior and conduct to help ensure that sites are clean and orderly and that people participating in the program are good neighbors. January 23, 2019, Work Session - Item 2