Item A: Workshop on Homelessness

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expansion of options for reduced price fares, bulk buying by service providers, and options for non-peak hours. LTD is open to options and has informally suggested that they could match City funds 1:1 in terms of providing tokens through social service programs. Pro: Transportation is a challenging problem for homeless persons who need to get to appointments for services, get to job interviews, and escort children to school, etc. Many cannot afford bus service even at $1.00 one way and $2.00 for an all day pass. Assistance doesn’t solve homelessness, but would improve the lives of homeless people. Con: LTD is a single-purpose agency and generally does not give away its services, and is reluctant to set up different classes of customers. Most riders are poor or disabled. Cost: $50,000 - The demand is significant; any amount will be used. Tier 2: Implementation of November 2005 staff recommendations. Library access Improved library card access is now provided to the homeless population as well as to other Eugene residents. Internet assistance Homeless people, during the forums, discussed the growing need to access services, jobs, and housing options through the Internet, and expressed their frustration in trying to find this access. Nonprofit providers are working with the City on a $144,000 Telecom Grant to provide additional computer access at the three access centers and shelter locations. This grant will include the total potential costs; however, many of the materials and services will probably be donated. Utility assistance EWEB’s Energy Share program currently runs out of money. While EWEB and rate payers donate to this fund, the City's wastewater and stormwater funds do not. In 2004, the Energy Share program paid off about $94,000 of delinquent city and regional wastewater and stormwater charges in order to avoid the shutoff of services. Roughly $50,000 was applied to local city charges, while the remaining estimated $44,000 was applied to regional sewer charges. City staff continues to work on a strategy by which city and regional sewer and stormwater utilities could contribute to the Energy Share program in much the same way that the EWEB electric and water utilities do. We expect that discussions and the formulation of agreements around this strategy will continue through summer 2006. Safe and Sound Safe and Sound, a public/private partnership related to youth homelessness, has received 70,000 in City assistance for three years for needed services to homeless and at-risk youth and has been critical match money for other grants. The third year of funding is nearly over. A three-year renewal is in the City Manager’s proposed budget. A permanent inclusion in the budget would enable this amount to be adjusted annually for inflation. 7