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C. Work Session: Recommendations from the Council Committee on Homelessness and Youth <br /> <br />Richie Weinman, Planning and Development Department, provided the staff report and called attention to the <br />committee's recommendations displayed on the wall. He reviewed the implications of those <br />recommendations, saying the proposed law would not stand in the way of people helping people and the <br />recommendation asked the City to make 15 spaces available for vehicle camping on City property to set an <br />example for the community. Among the recommendations is a contingency fund request to fund a facilitator <br />to manage the City spaces, encourage others to participate, and arrange for portable toilets and maintenance <br />and signage. Mr. Weinman said the current ordinance allowing camping in industrial areas should be <br />extended for 30 days to allow sufficient time to place the new scheme in place. <br /> <br />Addressing a question from Mayor Torrey, Mr. Weinman said the current ordinance bans camping on public <br />streets with the exception of industrial areas, but on September 30 that would sunset. <br /> <br />Mr. Farr spoke for the committee, saying the proposal before the council provided some relief to the homeless <br />families, but it was not a good solution for people with emotional/mental instability and those in the "fringe" <br />who chose the homeless lifestyle. He emphasized that this solution was temporary or a "bridge to what <br />happens next." Mr. Farr called for a broader community discussion involving both the private and public <br />sectors. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson said it was regrettable that all the groups are not satisfied with the proposal, but reminded the <br />council of all it has done for the homeless, noting that it was not what happened in most communities. She <br />expressed appreciation for the committee's work, saying the proposal represented an expansion of current <br />services. <br /> <br />Mr. Lee said he fundamentally believes that the camping ban is wrong, saying it is a result of land use laws <br />that were developed without considering the homeless population. He called for a review of the land use laws <br />that consider this population, adding it was a national phenomena that needed to be addressed. Mr. Lee said <br />that the problem is so large that it will not be solved without involving the public, pointing out that the <br />proposal allows people to help each other. He reminded the council of impending inclement weather and said <br />this is the solution for this winter. <br /> <br />Ms. Taylor said the dialogue should be broadened to include the City of Springfield, Lane County, and the <br />State. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner said this is not an ordinance looking at homelessness--it looks at vehicle camping. He said the <br />proposal calls for facilitation, not enforcement, and confirmed that the latter would be the responsibility of the <br />City's Police Department. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey reiterated that campers will not be allowed on the street effective September 30 and the <br />facilitator would refer them to the options, which are finite. The cost of the program will be for public safety <br />personnel who will be asked to remove campers from the streets. He asked that police inform people who are <br />visibly on the street on September 1 that effective October 1, they will not be able to continue being there. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner asked that public safety staff familiarize themselves with additional resources and tools in order <br />to effect enforcement. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 29, 1998 Page 6 <br /> 11:30 a.m. <br /> <br /> <br />