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Fairgrounds Homeless Camp Proposal Pitched To Lane County Commissioners

GoogleMaps Satellite View / Melorie Begay
/
Google.com / KLCC

A small homeless camp could soon be set up on a corner of the Lane County Fairgrounds.

The group, Community Supported Shelters, is proposing three Conestoga huts – small, wooden shelters with curved roofs -  be built on the corner of 13th Avenue and Tyler. The northwest corner of the fairgrounds is largely vacant, though some vendors use it for parking during events.

Credit Lane County Government webstream
Lane County Commissioner Heather Buch, at a board meeting July 9, 2019.

The Lane County Board of Commissioners discussed the proposal Tuesday.  Commissioner Heather Buch of East Lane County backs the idea. Her background includes affordable housing projects.

“I think that this could be a real good solution even if it’s really just three households, but it’s three less households on the street.”

The board was largely supportive of the proposal, but said more discussion was needed in terms of neighborhood outreach, security, and if the site could be approved through the City of Eugene’s rest stop/safe spots ordinance.

If approved, Community Supported Shelters would manage the three huts.

Copyright 2019, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.