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Federal Funding Helps Eugene Homeless Teen Housing Project Move Forward

Rachael McDonald

A project that would provide housing to homeless high schoolers in Eugene is moving forward thanks to federal funds approved this week.

St. Vincent de Paul is looking to purchase a church in South Eugene to house 14 youths. Paul Neville with St. Vinnie’s says the $625 thousand federal HOME grant was approved this week by Eugene and Springfield, which administer the funds. Neville says they intend to purchase and remodel the church and turn it into housing for homeless teens.
Neville: “With the key provision that they remain in school and move towards graduation. This entire project is gaged to get homeless high school kids through high school and have them graduate.”
The plan is to provide free rent, meals and an on-site case manager. The HOME grant will allow St. Vinnie’s to purchase the church building by December. Neville says the agency needs to raise more money to renovate and operate the housing project, which they hope to open a year from now.
 

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.