homelessness

Despite a disruptive protest last weekend, the owner of Eugene’s Elk Horn Brewery says business is rebounding.  As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, their work continues on reducing “lawlessness” across the downtown.

Across the nation last week, counties participated in an annual tally of people who are unhoused. KLCC’s Elizabeth Gabriel tagged along with a pair of volunteers in Eugene to see what it’s like to be a point-in-time counter.

With homelessness reaching what one official calls “epidemic proportions,” the City of Eugene and Lane County have jointly come up with additional funding to keep two services operational. 

Each of Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis’s State of the City addresses has discussed housing and homelessness. Vinis highlighted those topics again Wednesday night, noting that several plans developed in 2019 will take shape in 2020. 

Continued “lawlessness” by some transients in Eugene has hurt downtown businesses over the holiday season.

As 2019 winds down, it’s time to reflect on some of the big news stories we covered across Eugene-Springfield and the region. KLCC’s Brian Bull has this year-end review.

Homeless advocates are cheering the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear an appeal in a pivotal case out of Idaho.  KLCC’s Brian Bull got reaction from someone living on the streets of Eugene.

Ongoing vandalism and harassment against area shops and restaurants are straining relationships between businesses and the homeless community. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, a new group of business owners is imploring officials to confront an issue they say only keeps getting worse.

Dozens of county officials are in Eugene this week, for the annual Association of Oregon Counties conference.  As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, the keynote issue is housing.

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.

The waste and refuse left at homeless encampments has been an issue for many local governments, including the City of Eugene.  Earlier this summer we reported on ongoing efforts to clean up several islands in the Willamette River. But it’s also a problem beyond city limits.  Recently, KLCC’s Brian Bull ventured out into the Willamette National Forest to check on clean-up efforts there as well.

The unhoused population in the Eugene area has put the city first in the U.S. for homelessness, according to a new survey that used last year's federal data. 

Next month, construction will begin on Lane County’s newest housing project to address chronic homelessness. The 51-unit complex, called The Commons on MLK, will go up across the street from Autzen Stadium in Eugene. KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert walked the site and has this report.

A memorial was held Friday for a 57-year old woman who died on the streets of Eugene. Her death has once again raised the question of why more isn’t being done to shelter homeless people. KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert reports from First Christian Church.

In a move to symbolically reaffirm Lane County’s work toward addressing the issue, the Board of Commissioners passed a resolution, 4-1, Tuesday. The resolution declares a homelessness emergency in Lane County.

Business owners downtown are often tasked with cleaning up trash and waste left by transients. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, a new program aims to tackle that problem.

The Eugene City Council voted 6 to zero last night (Monday,) to enable property owners to enforce trespass laws on planter strips-- the areas of land between the curb and sidewalk. As KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert reports, the new provision will take effect immediately.  

The latest point in time homeless count found that in Lane County more than 2,100  people are without adequate housing. People who are unhoused face challenges to their health, safety and well-being. 

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Each week, KLCC addresses a topic surrounding mental health from a local perspective. This week, we’re talking about the mental health of children in Lane County.

Following an unexpected loss of federal funding, a Eugene-area non-profit for runaway and homeless youth is getting a local boost.

Not all homeless youth sleep on city benches or in tents. In fact, advocates say most unhoused kids in Lane County “couch surf” from place to place. And that makes them hard to identify and help.

In the final part of our series, “Hidden in Plain Sight,” KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert introduces us to a Eugene teen who became parentless and homeless before caring adults stepped in to help.

Homelessness is a pressing social issue confronting communities around the country and across Oregon. In Lane County, officials acknowledge a growing number of the homeless population are youth.

In part one of our series, “Hidden in Plain Sight,” KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert shares the story of a young man who was homeless after he was kicked out of his house as a teen-- and the advocate who helped him get off the streets.