The City of Eugene will be moving houseless campers out of Washington-Jefferson Park starting next week.
The city has a new Safe Sleep site at 410 Garfield Street that it’s relocating people to. Kelly McIver with the city’s Unhoused Response said the new place will have tents, secure storage, heat, bathrooms and showers.
“For the people who have been staying at Washington-Jefferson Park for many many months now, this is going to be an amazing opportunity,” he said. “This is something to be able to get them in out of the weather, and have a chance to receive services, and to be able to have a clean, healthy environment for the first time in a really long time.”
McIver said Washington-Jefferson Park will be closed on March 16, refurbished, and reopened later as a public park.
The new Safe Sleep site is managed by St Vincent de Paul. It’s adjacent to a vehicle camping site. Eugene has another safe sleep site in progress.
Beginning on February 22, staff with the city and St Vinnies will meet with people at the park and start the process of moving them to the new location.
The city closed a houseless camp on 13th Avenue a couple of months ago and gave residents several options including the Dawn to Dawn site managed by St. Vincent de Paul.
Here’s more from the City of Eugene:
The creation of the Safe Sleep site and prioritizing the relocation of Washington Jefferson temporary camp occupants was a key goal of a Eugene City Council ordinance passed in April 2021. The ordinance addressed creating additional legal options for unhoused people living in locations not intended for that purpose and resulting in unsanitary and unsafe conditions for those camping and for the surrounding community.
Understanding that SVdP is not able to accommodate pets at the 410 Garfield St. site, City staff have been working on alternatives for pet owners. At the request of City staff, the Everyone Village Safe Sleep site has developed a plan to take those people and their pets. City staff facilitated outreach by Everyone Village to connect with the pet owners and then begin the process to create appropriate dwellings at Everyone Village and move those people and their pets. The City has worked with Everyone Village and provided materials and tents for the new dwellings. City staff who work at Washington Jefferson Park have gotten to know the occupants, and have carefully noted which recognized, long-time occupants have had pets, and all of those people have been offered space at Everyone Village.
City staff will also work with local youth shelter programs to be able to offer safer spaces to any minors who have been staying at the temporary camp.
Safe Sleep site: 410 Garfield St.
· 86 total camp spaces, inside a heated building
- Each camp space is provided a mat, tent (8'x8'x8' canopy-style), sleeping pad and bag, two 38-gallon storage containers for personal items, one 18-gallon container for perishables, a radiator-style electric heater, chair and side table
· Restrooms, access to water, garbage service
· One meal provided on-site daily
· Shower trailer on-site
· Laundry vouchers
· Indoor and outdoor gathering areas
· On-site access to medical and social services
· Close to public transportation
· Bike racks available
With the opening of 410 Garfield St., the city will have three operating Safe Sleep sites, including adjacent 310 Garfield St. (for vehicles) and Everyone Village at Dani Street accommodating a mix of small shelters and vehicles. The three locations provide safe, legal shelter for nearly 200 people experiencing homelessness. A fourth site, Rosa Safe Sleep site at 2243 Roosevelt Blvd., will add shelter for upwards of 20 more people later this year.
