Item B: Update on Homeless Initiative Action Plan

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ATTACHMENT C A Brief Summary of Local Homelessness Current conditions related to homelessness Homelessness is part of the affordable housing continuum and is an acute symptom of poverty. In many cases the provision of affordable housing could be an adequate response to the problem. In other cases, when a medical condition or disability is involved, services are also needed. In our community, one could argue that homelessness is a local problem. 95% of the local homeless population is rooted in the area as opposed to coming here from distant communities. This has been confirmed through Lane County’s examination of data from service providers. Homelessness is a challenging but solvable problem that is destructive to families and deeply hurts individuals. It results in long-term negative consequences. These consequences are felt through the public safety and justice system, education system and public health programs. The local homeless population can be generally divided into two groups, chronic and situational. About 84% of the local homeless population is short term and situational. With assistance they can become re-housed and stabilized. The remaining 16% are chronic, typically involve a disability, and their impact is the most costly to the community. . Despite local efforts, homelessness is now increasing here and elsewhere. Local service providers and school districts are reporting new case increases of 33% to over 50% compared to the same period a year ago. For example, staff at 4J and Bethel school districts each report a one-third increase of homeless families on their caseloads. Both also report a notable spike in currently housed families looking for help as they face foreclosure or eviction. This problem is not isolated to Eugene. Portland, after reporting reductions in homelessness for two years, now reports that homelessness is up 33% over four years ago. These increases are largely a product of community economic conditions rather than a systemic failure of assistance programs. Programs do not have the resources to meet the increasing demands. One local service provider explained that the reductions in funding for support and treatment programs, such as Lane County Mental Health, are resulting in increased homelessness among people who have significant challenges to overcome. The funding crisis has forced local agencies to either curtail programs or refocus them. For instance, ShelterCare has “sold” many of their emergency housing beds to Veterans Services and mental health programs because they need the funding to keep the doors open. This leaves far fewer emergency shelter beds for families with children. Local homelessness providers cooperate with a centralized emergency shelter waiting list. That list now has 239 people (58 families) on it, representing a wait of at least 15 weeks. Estimate of local homeless populations Based on the annual one-night count, on any given day in Lane County 2,111 people are homeless -- on the streets or in temporary shelter. Of these, 594 are unsheltered. In a typical year, approximately 2,000 homeless children are enrolled in Lane County schools, with about half in Eugene. Looking Glass identifies about 2,000 unduplicated homeless youth annually. In 2007, 8,813 unduplicated homeless individuals sought social services though Lane County Human Services Commission funded programs. The most common and obvious reason for homelessness is poverty. According to the 2000 census, housing costs are no longer affordable to 20,000 very-low income local households (whose incomes are less than 50% of area median and are eligible for subsidized housing). Fewer than 4500 subsidized housing units exist. A household on the edge, financially, is often pushed over the edge by a healthcare situation/emergency and thus Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M090126\S090126B.doc