Item B: Council Priority Issue - Homeless Strategy

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ATTACHMENT B City of Eugene Chronological History of Homeless Efforts & Actions 1947 to Present 1996 Utility Tax to support housing and homelessness rejected by voters. Status: Funding for homeless programs has not kept up with increased demands. 1997 Council Homeless and Shelter Task Force created by Mayor and two Councilors. This task force was later renamed the Council Committee on Homelessness and Youth (CCHY). Status: Local awareness of the complex issues related to homelessness and the growing problems associated with homeless youth increased. Council adopted a variety of CCHY’s recommendations. (See below) 1997 Homeless Action Coalition’s “Campaign for Legal Places to Sleep” issued. Status: CCHY recommended an ordinance change. (see below) 1997 Ordinance approved by Council to allow camping on streets in industrial areas, at churches, and at private residents as a result of CCHY’s recommendation. Status: Significant camping problems in some residential neighborhoods were dramatically reduced, but new problems were created in industrial areas. Lessons were learned. 1997 Safe Place Project initiated to provide transportation to emergency services for youth in crisis. Program received support from the City of Eugene. Status: The program still operates. 1998 Council approved CCHY’s recommendation for special funding for program expansion at Station 7 and Eugene Service Station. Status: Station 7 was able to help more youth, until the funding ran out. Station 7 was able to permanently expand its services. The program had a shelter capacity of 13, but it is now at 10 due to budget cuts in 2003. The program also had to cut its daytime non-school hour activities. 1998 Council repealed camping in industrial areas and expanded camping options at businesses and public property based on CCHY’s recommendation. SVDP received a contract for on-street facilitation services. City provided 15 camping spaces and encouraged intergovernmental partners, churches, and businesses to provide spaces. Status: This program continues to operate and is generally regarded as very successful. 1998 Council funded CCHY’s recommendation for “Summit Summer” youth recreation and jobs program targeted to homeless and at-risk youth. Status: This program was successful, but no long-term funding was identified. 1998 Council funded the CCHY’s recommended pilot “Homeshare” program. Status: This very successful and cost-effective program matched people with extra rooms in their homes with people who needed housing. It eventually closed when permanent funding could not be secured. 1998 Council funded a pilot project to place porta-potties in selected locations. Status: The program recognized that sanitation is a very big problem associated with homelessness. Placing portable toilets proved to be a significant challenge and the experiment was not continued. 1990 City of Eugene Interdepartmental Community Action Team (ICAT) created to convene staff from various departments to address critical issues, including homelessness. Status: ICAT meets to discuss various issues, including those relating to homelessness. 2001-2002 Housing Policy Board and Human Services Commission jointly sponsored the Homeless Prevention Task Force which issued a preliminary report on homelessness. Status: At about the same time that the preliminary report was issued, the economy dipped and State instituted dramatic budget cuts to services overwhelming the prevention concepts and funding options. Page 3 of 4 11/21/2005