A nearly $2.5 million federal grant will help launch a pilot program in Eugene to provide low-cost permanent housing for people who’ve been homeless.
The program is a partnership between Opportunity Village, Lane Workforce Partnership and other organizations.
Gabe Piechowicz is founder and executive director of Everyone Village, which provides tiny houses and support for people coming out of homelessness.
The program is supposed to be transitional, but the high cost of rent makes it impossible for people to move into a new place, he said.
“So we get folks restabilized, health regained, hope restored, ready to go out and be amazing members in the community, stand on their own two feet, and there’s nowhere they can go that they can actually afford,” Piechowicz said.
The new micro-village pilot will include 100 units for people who earn less than 30% of the Eugene-area’s adjusted median income– $19,250 annually for a one-person household, with the limit adjusted each year.
The rent will be $300 a month. High school students build the homes as part of a Lane Workforce Partnership program.
“For students who participate in the program, they’re getting hands-on experience within the construction trades. No longer are they building bird houses but they’re building real houses for families impacted with homelessness,” said Jesse Quinn with Lane Workforce Partnership. “Not to mention industry also benefits because they get a new pool of talent entering the workforce beyond graduation.”
The first phase of the micro-village will be sited on property adjacent to Everyone Village
The houses will be roughly 16 by 16 feet in size with bathrooms. There will be shared kitchen facilities and laundry on site along with the same medical and social support provided at Everyone Village.
Piechowicz said the $2.465 million federal funding, championed by Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, will help make the project come to life.
“This project is bringing in high school students, middle students to build benches and planter boxes for sites like the village. We have college students from all local colleges involved. The clients themselves are part of the solution of helping themselves and each other,” he said. “And so, we’ve finally arrived at the day where we’re all standing around the problem together. Ready to go. One, two, three, and lift.”
Piechowicz said they have a set of reviews to complete with help from partners at the City of Eugene. He estimates that sometime in 2027, they’ll have their first home ready for move-in.
Other partners involved in the project include PIVOT Architecture, Team Oregon Build, Lane Education Service District, PeaceHealth, Rexius, CAFA, and the City of Eugene.
The hope is to replicate the housing model across Oregon.
