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HomeMy WebLinkAbout161116.WS.SIREMINUTES Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 November 16, 2 016 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: George Brown, Alan Zelenka, George Poling, Mike Clark, Claire Syrett, Chris Pryor Councilors Absent: Betty Taylor, Greg Evans Mayor Piercy opened the November 16, 2016, meeting of the Eugene City Council. 1. WORK SESSION: Rest Stop and Opportunity Village Pilot Programs Homeless Policy Coordinator Regan Watjus and City Manager's Office Division Manager Mia Cariaga, gave a PowerPoint presentation discussing community and City efforts around local emergency homeless shelter efforts, including Opportunity Village Eugene (OVE), rest stops, 2015 impacts and current locations, and recommendations. Council discussion: • One of the most important aspects of the rest stop programs is its community support. • Success of these rest stops is beyond expectations; no negative impacts reported. • Goal is to create 600 affordable housing in the next five years. • Rest stops and Opportunity Village possible because of countless community members. • Rest stops and OVE have had a positive impact on the community; continue and expand. • Facilities should be spread all around the community to be more equitable. • More information about the demands and need for rest stops requested. • Rest stops and OVE are just one piece of a larger stagey to address homelessness. • Strongly support the proposed recommendations; dispersal policy needed. • City should provide funding for the programs including staff time. • Video on rest stops needs to be shown at every neighborhood association meeting. • Shutting down a rest stop to move it is counterproductive; more beds are needed. • Strongly support removing the sunset date for the rest stops; make program permanent. • Education and outreach is key; the video on rest stops is effective tool. • Working groups in wards should consist of residents, businesses, and schools. • Support recommendations for transitional housing strategy in Eugene. • More information is needed about the impact of camps before issues begin emerging. • Support removing some of the restrictions that were initially placed on this program. • Not willing to allow camps in developed parks; concern about using undeveloped parkland. MINUTES — Eugene City Council November 16, 2016 Page 1 Work Session MOTION AND VOTE U-riendly included): Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Poling, moved that we recognize Opportunity Village Eugene and rest stop pilots have been successful for those residents that have taken advantage of them, that the sunset should be eliminated, and the siting criteria should be reviewed for modifications. PASSED 6:0 MOTION AND VOTE. Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Poling, moved the City shall help build community understanding of the programs through education and outreach. The City Manager will work with community groups, neighborhoods, and residents to clarify purposes of the programs and dispel misunderstanding, especially by showing the video. PASSED 6:0 MOTION: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Poling, moved that each City Councilor to establish a committee of interested parties in each ward to identify and propose at least one location, suitable for the programs. Membership could include but would not be limited to Neighborhood Associations, neighborhood school representatives, or area businesses. And we direct the City Manager to work with committees including identifying eligible properties in each ward and putting forward site recommendations for community feedback, Council consideration, and approval. MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE AND VOTE: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Zelenka, moved to direct the Manager to come back to Council at the earliest possible convenience with a work session to talk about how we implement an effective dispersal policy. PASSED 6:0 VOTE ON MAIN MOTION AS SUBSTITUTED: PASSED 6:0 MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Poling, moved that we recognize that social services and homeless activity are more concentrated in Ward 7 and therefore move at least one of the existing rest stops to one of the newly identified sites. PASSED 4:3, Councilors Brown, Poling, Clark opposed, Mayor Piercy broke the tie in favor. The meeting adjourned at 1:24 p.m. Q Chuck Crockett Deputy City Recorder MINUTES —Eugene City Council November 16, 2016 Page 2 Work Session