Lane County is considering a potential site on Highway 99 for a public homeless shelter in Eugene. It would be the first one in the city.
The site is now home to a camp for homeless people—Camp 99. Devon Ashbridge with Lane County says the permanent shelter would be low-barrier, so that people who are using drugs or alcohol would still be allowed to stay there. She says the shelter is in addition to a permanent housing project that’s also in the works.
“The need for a public shelter and some additional resources for emergency strategies is really huge in our community.” Ashbridge says, “So, it’s exciting that we’re working with a number of different partners to try to address different stages of homelessness. From emergency, to preventative, to ongoing permanent housing.”
Ashbridge says Lane County has been working with the City of Eugene on the public shelter proposal. A joint meeting will be held January 22nd to discuss the final report on the project.