04/27/20 City Council Agenda Packet - Work Session

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Non- People with special needs need additional support for housing and supportiveservices. Thisincludes families withchildren, seniors, ex-offenders, people withHIV/AIDS, victims of domestic violence, people with drug and alcohol addictions, people who areevicted or foreclosed, peoplewith physical and mentaldisabilities, veterans, youth and young adults, and youth aging out of foster care. Special needs populations need additionalsupportas it relates to affordable housing, human services, employment opportunities, and accessibility improvements in housing and public facilities. Inbothcities,49% of studentsinthe three public districts are eligible for free or reduced lunch. One in seven Oregoniansand one in five childrenin Oregon are food insecure. Free local bus passes,gasoline, care repair, driver’s license, ID card or birth certificate fee were all identified as difficult to access based upon feedback provided by the constituency surveyed. There is one domestic violence provider in Eugene. Records indicated there areminimal domestic violence and sexualassault providers,with limited shelter spaceand housingassets dedicated tosurvivors and those fleeing domestic violence. In the Community Survey, respondents identified mental health and addiction services and housingservices asthe greatestsocial services needs. Respondents also identified Assist human serviceagencies with facilitiesacquisition or improvements as the most needed Community Development Need. EmploymentOpportunities People who have low incomes, are unemployed or underemployed need a broader range of employment opportunities, including self-employment AfterLane County lost 18,000jobs between 2007 and 2010, employment has continued to grow \[back to pre-recession levels\], currently peaking at 95% as of 2017. As unemployment rateshave declined in recent years, so too has job growth since 2016. Workers in the Eugene Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean)hourly wage of $22.75 in May 2018, about 9 percent below the nationwide average of $24.98. Not all sectors have returned to pre-recession levels, including financial activities, construction, manufacturing, and information. In 2019, the top three reasons employers found it difficult to fill vacancies were: (1) lack of applicants, (2) unfavorable working conditions, and (3) lack of qualified candidates (Hiring Challenges for unfulfilled job vacancies, May 2019). 2020Consolidated Plan 13Eugene and Springfield, OR