Housing & Homelessness

To help its customers who are behind on utility payments due to the pandemic, the Eugene Water and Electric Board is doubling the amount of funding available in August for its bill repayment programs.

Lane County announced a second round of applications for rent assistance will become available at 9AM Wednesday morning and be open for one week. 

The head of an affordable housing agency in Lane County says it’s an "exciting time" for them. 

As Lane County continues to re-open, temporary COVID-19 shelters for the unhoused are closing down. In response, the City of Eugene collaborated with the Eugene Mission and Community Supported Shelters to create a second microsite located in the Whiteaker neighborhood.

After both the City of Eugene and Lane County decided to close temporary emergency COVID-19 respite centers and camps, more than 100 protesters convened at a parking lot on Friday. 

Lane County renters who have lost income or have had health effects related to COVID-19 could be eligible for some help. Wednesday morning, applications for rent assistance will be available on the county's website.

Temporary COVID-19 homeless respite centers in Eugene and Springfield are expected to close when Lane County enters Phase Two of reopening. County officials are eyeing a June 5 end date. The City of Eugene will also shutdown their Designated Temporary Shelter Sites, but they'll wait until the county has been approved to enter Phase Two.

Eugene City Councilors took action on three housing ordinances Tuesday night. This includes the Downtown Riverfront redevelopment project, the Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption Program (MUPTE) and the Low-Income Rental Housing Property Tax Exemption (LIRHPTE).

Those who have faced financial hardships due to the pandemic, may be concerned about being evicted. But Oregon renters cannot legally face eviction for at least another month.

While the pandemic has disrupted services for the poor and hungry, a collaboration between Lane Community College and the Eugene Mission is making use of more than a ton of donated food.

Public closures in Lane County have made it difficult for at-risk residents to access supplies without potentially exposing themselves to COVID-19. But the Lane County Mutual Aid Network is working to reach more people.

The cities of Eugene, Springfield and Lane County have jointly opened two temporary shelters. The unhoused can now stay in the parking lots of both Amazon and Hilyard Community Centers.

Lane County staff are drafting a proposal that would require lodgers to allow unhoused individuals with COVID-19, or those awaiting test results, to stay in their facilities. The Board of County Commissioners greenlit the effort Tuesday.

For the past three weeks schools have closed and most public spaces have shut down in Oregon. This has homeless providers in Lane County concerned youth will fall under the radar as officials scramble to meet the needs of high-risk groups. Advocates are pushing for greater resources and funding, including a youth shelter.

The City of Eugene has started mobilizing outreach teams to check on unhoused people this week. The groups offer food, water, and COVID-19 information.

The Lane County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to buy a $1.8 million building in Eugene. The site will serve as a place to house homeless people experiencing, and recovering from non-severe COVID-19 symptoms. This also includes those waiting to get test results back.

Two shelter locations have opened this week in Eugene and Springfield that will operate 24/7. The aim is to give the unhoused refuge during the state mandated “Stay at Home” order. Meals, hygiene, medical care, and sanitization will be provided for individuals staying at the respite centers.

Today, Governor Kate Brown issued a 90-day order to temporarily stop residential evictions for nonpayment due to the spread of coronavirus in Oregon.

To help combat the spread of the coronavirus in Lincoln County, officials are providing 40 motel room vouchers for the county’s unsheltered population. The idea is to provide a warm, safe place to stay for the homeless while most of the state has been advised to stay home.