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Local business group reviews continuing issue of homelessness in Eugene and Lane County

A tent shelter in Eugene's downtown area, in early March 2022.
Brian Bull
/
KLCC
A tent shelter in Eugene's downtown area, in early March 2022.

Half a year after releasing its first report on homelessness, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce says it’s time to get “deep and strategic” on the issue.

According to Chamber data, more than 3,100 people in Lane County were unhoused in August 2021, just a month before its report came out. Of that, only 42 were placed into housing.

Brittany Quick-Warner of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce said homelessness needs to be a rare, brief, and non-recurring issue. And for businesses to feel safe and secure, accountability needs to be part of the plan.

“We absolutely do not believe that the act of being unhoused should be criminalized," she said. "It’s important for us to differentiate what we’re talking about when we’re talking about illegal behavior.

"And activities that are not wanted in our community, and that is really focused on crime. Assault, vandalism, theft, things that we are experiencing, and our homeless individuals in our community are victims of that crime as well.”

Quick-Warner acknowledged the accountability aspect can be controversial, and said there’s a survey being done in the next month to gauge public sentiment on the issue, to inform their planning (other components of tackling homelessness listed in the Chamber's report are quality data, shared goals, service provider capacity, emergency shelters & permanent housing, outreach, wrap-around services, and rebuilding community trust.)

Meanwhile, encounters between local businesses and unhoused individuals have sometimes led to confrontations or other uncomfortable situations.

The Eugene Chamber of Commerce is developing a document to give business owners steps on how to address vandalism, waste, or disruptions among staff, customers, and homeless people.

“A lot of businesses just don’t even know what to do, when they get into that situation. ‘Who do I call to pick up the needles? Who do I call to clean up the spray-paint on the side of my building? Who do I call if I have someone in my space who is harassing my staff?’" said Quick-Warner at a recent economic summit hosted by the Chamber.

"And that’s really what we’re trying to come up with, is a common protocol and some things that businesses need to know that will help them either deter crime or react to it if it’s happening.”

Quick-Warner stresses that no one should criminalize the unhoused for simply being without shelter. She adds resources are important for them as well, and often they too can be victims of crime or harassment.

The document is still in development, but will be made available to local businesses soon. Other topics included helping the unhoused community find employment, and support services.

Copyright @2022, 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.