Item B: Update on Homeless Initiative Action Plan

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: City Council Goal - Update on Homeless Initiative Action Plan Meeting Date: January 26, 2009 Agenda Item Number: B Department: City Manager’s Office Staff Contact: Sarah Medary www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5336 ISSUE STATEMENT The City Council is reviewing progress toward the Homelessness Initiative Action Plan. In February 2005, the Eugene City Council adopted a Priority Initiative to “Help the Homeless in Eugene.” This goal was renewed in 2006 and again in 2007 with an added priority to work with community partners to end chronic homelessness in ten years in support of Lane County’s Ten Year Plan. The council, in May 2006, directed the Mayor to appoint a Blue Ribbon Committee to identify stable, sustainable funding to address homelessness. BACKGROUND This is the fourth year since the council first selected a goal related to homelessness. A City of Eugene team aided by staff from the Lane County Human Services Commission, local service providers, members of the City of Eugene Human Rights Commission, and community stakeholders (including homeless people themselves) identified numerous options to both assist the homeless population and address the local impact of homelessness. An action plan for this goal is provided in Attachment A. For the coming year it focuses on continuing activities that were prioritized in the past and suggests new activities based on the recommendations of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Committee. Highlights of Work Plan Accomplishments: The City’s efforts concerning homelessness have been and continue to be beneficial in addressing the needs of many homeless people in the community. The following is a progress summary of key strategies. 1. Allocate and monitor the use of targeted funds for homeless prevention and services. These activities are cost effective simultaneously preventing new cases and continuing programs that benefit the safety of the community. This includes emergency housing payments to prevent evictions, expansion of business hours at access centers, and the continued funding of services that assist various homeless populations. a. Provide funding for prevention and re-housing During the first six months of the current fiscal year the City’s homeless prevention allocation provided emergency funds for 111 households. This is consistent with services provided in previous reporting periods. These funds are administered through four nonprofit agencies (ShelterCare, Looking Glass New Roads, St. Vincent dePaul, and Catholic Community Services). The average expenditure per client was $281.21. A typical assistance situation might concern a person who lost wages due to illness or injury or someone whose hours were cut at Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M090126\S090126B.doc