© 2024 KLCC

KLCC
136 W 8th Ave
Eugene OR 97401
541-463-6000
klcc@klcc.org

Contact Us

FCC Applications
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

$150,000 Awarded to Lane County for Emergency Shelter Services

Elizabeth Gabriel
/
KLCC News

Homeless services in the state have gotten some much needed financial help, including some in Lane County. Oregon Housing and Community Services awarded over $1.7 million to organizations across the state to help aid emergency homeless shelters.

Lane County Continuum of Care received $150,000 to fund emergency shelter services for the winter. The funding will be given to St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County to support expenses such as increasing the number of shelter beds, expanding operating hours, and providing extended outreach.

According to Lane County’s 2019 Point in Time Count, of the 2,165 people experiencing homelessness, 1,633 were unsheltered.

As winter approaches, Lane County Public Information Officer Jason Davis says this funding is vital to provide shelter.

“If those temperatures fall below that threshold of around 30 degrees—then you know, really—life is on the line,” said Davis.

St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County will receive $129,000 for the First Place Annex Night Shelter, $10,000 for the Egan Warming Center, and $10,000 for an Egan Warming Center Volunteer Coordinator.

OHCS received these funds from a one-time allocation of $5 million, made during the 2019 Legislative Session to address statewide winter shelter capacity. Using the 2019 Statewide Shelter Study, OHCS will prioritize which organizations will receive the remaining $3.1 million in spring 2020.

Elizabeth Gabriel is a former KLCC Public Radio Foundation Journalism Fellow. She is an education reporter at WFYI in Indianapolis.
Related Content