Item B: Council Priority Issue - Homeless Strategy

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ATTACHMENT A Strategic Priority Issue #8 Develop a Strategy to Help the Homeless in Eugene Action Plan - REVISED At the February 2005 retreat of the City of Eugene’s Mayor, City Council, and Executive Managers, eight strategic issues were identified; one of which was to “Develop a strategy to help the homeless in Eugene.” Based on the discussion outcomes, a desire was shown to determine the City’s future role in addressing this complex, international issue. The Homelessness Action Planning Team will develop a 3 to 5 year action plan with greatest focus on the first 18 to 24 months. Because homelessness has the potential to touch every resident and area within the City, our team has expanded the definition of “the homeless” to include community members who are “at risk” of becoming homeless because they cannot afford food and shelter. This action plan will identify gaps in current services, promote public awareness, foster collaboration with stakeholders, and propose appropriate actions. Our original plan, brought before the Mayor and City Council on July 13, 2005, was comprehensive and broad based but did not present specific recommendations prior to conducting meetings with key stakeholders. While the Mayor and City Council generally agreed with the original plan, they asked that the team host those meetings first and come back with a revised plan that had specific recommendations on ways that the City could help this population. A. Planning Horizon and Focus In order to make informed decisions, many areas need to be evaluated. The following strategies are the focus of our efforts and resources: 1. Review the City’s past and present service delivery and staff training. 2. Review the Eugene Human Rights Commission (HRC) priorities and work plan on homeless/at risk community members. 3. Assemble community stakeholders, including homeless/at-risk community members, service providers, and other key stakeholders to determine current service levels and areas for collaboration. 4. Engage homeless/at risk community members hear their views on the most critical needs and determine how best to assist them in their transition away from homelessness. 5. Prioritize potential service enhancements based on greatest need, resource requirements and ability to accomplish the most positive results. 6. Stress the importance of the issue to county and local elected officials; request their leadership and support so priorities can be implemented. Given the potential scope and breadth of the initiative, related actions and tasks are grouped into short and longer-term horizons: Phase 1(18 to 24 Months) – Action items that define, analyze and prioritize internal city and community-focused initiatives. These priorities will be used by elected officials to approve and fund the longer-term direction of homeless/at risk assistance. Phase II (3 to 5 Years) – Longer-term approved priorities. These priorities will be initiated with the understanding that some go far beyond the five-year time horizon. Strategic Priority Issue Outcomes B. Page 1 of 4 11/21/2005