Agenda Packet 7-22-19 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES – Eugene City Council June 12, 2019 Page 5 Work Session the 4J School District are homeless; talked about how City Council would still need to approve a final site and if mitigation is impossible, then siting it there is no longer considered; asked what the initial reason was for precluding private property owners from hosting a Rest Stop; doesn’t think a private property owner should be precluded from hosting a site if they can and want to. •Councilor Clark – asked about screening criteria and criminal background checks forresidents; expressed concern about lack of background checks especially if sited nearschools; said that the original siting restrictions were designed around the idea of creatingthe least amount of conflict in the community and relaxing them is not a wise idea. •Councilor Taylor – shared how she was planning to vote; expressed concerns aboutneighbors if private property owners want to host a Rest Stop; said she thinks currentrestrictions are mostly adequate but would like to allow County sites as well; said she wantsthe City to focus more on permanent and transitional housing. •Councilor Pryor – talked about renting or purchasing a home near a school and the lack ofbackground checks in those situations; said there is always the potential that bad peoplemove in no matter where you live, but mitigation and regulation are the key elements;talked about Rest Stops being needed as part of the continuum of care as a starting point;said he was comfortable providing flexibility in how and where Rest Stops can be placedbecause they are regulated. •Councilor Yeh – talked about how having a criminal record does not make you a bad personand how people can find themselves in many different situations where they may have goneto jail and then face many disadvantages when they get out of jail. •Councilor Semple – said that there should be opportunities for people who have come out ofpunishment, with regulation, supervision, and access to services instead of out on thestreets without any help. •Councilor Syrett – pointed out that the City Manager and County Administrator in the TACimplementation plan included eventually eliminating the Rest Stop program completely asother parts of the homeless services system are expanded; said she was not concernedabout residents not speaking up about their concerns around Rest Stop siting becausecommunities have been vocal in the past. •Councilor Taylor - said that people in some neighborhoods are proud to live in liberalneighborhoods and may be scared to voice their opinions; said that it was irrelevant to talkabout criminals because that’s not what City Council is voting on today. •Councilor Zelenka – asked if there was any data about crimes committed by residents ofRest Stops or Opportunity Village; said that it was offensive to him that every time CityCouncil starts talking about homeless individuals they start talking about criminals and sexoffenders; said he has talked with people in these programs and they are so gratefulsomeone recognized them and gave them a hand up, but there’s a misconception and fearthat people will bring crime and other bad things into their neighborhoods; talked abouthow the Rest Stops have worked to move people on into more stable situations. •Councilor Clark – expressed concern that civility among the councilors was breaking downwhen there was disagreement about issues. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Semple, seconded by Councilor Evans, moved to extend the meeting 10 minutes. PASSED 8:0. MOTION: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to direct the City Manager to prepare an ordinance and schedule a public hearing on Option 1C as stated in Attachment A. July 22, 2019, Meeting – Item 2A