Housing & Homelessness

An online apartment locator and rental advisement service ranks Oregon first among states where it may be more affordable to rent than buying a home.

Homeless campers living in a row of tents in downtown Eugene say they are there in protest. The campers object to the lack of shelter in the city center and claim mistreatment by local business owners.

A community meeting will be held in Corvallis next Thursday in order to decide on bylaws for a homelessness advisory council. It’s designed to assess, plan and respond to homelessness issues in Benton County.

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. 

Homelessness in Lane County continues to rise, according to the latest Point-In-Time Count. The annual tally took place in January, it’s meant to give an estimate of how many people are living without homes.

Lincoln County Board of Commissioners has approved funds to buy a vacant house in an effort to reduce recidivism in Newport. The home will provide stable housing for men at risk of homelessness after serving time.

Local emergency first responders partnered with mental health and homeless advocates to build a temporary housing hut in downtown Eugene.  Police Chief Chris Skinner says this is an example of 21st century policing.

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.

Every homeless kid out there has a story. In Part 2 of our series, “Hidden in Plain Sight,” KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert shares the difficult experiences of a Springfield run-away teen who spent years living in the woods and on the streets-- before getting the social support that changed her life.

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.

Organizations working to end youth homelessness in Lane County face increased need and limited resources. The county is applying for a grant through the Department of Housing and Urban Development which could amount to multi-millions to address the issue.

A retired pastor is holding vigil in downtown Eugene over this holiday weekend to bring attention to the plight of people who are homeless. 

An ordinance that would have fined motorists for giving or accepting items from pedestrians on the roadside was rejected by the Eugene City Council. 

A Eugene nonprofit broke ground on a new tiny home housing project, last Friday. The aim is to reduce homelessness and recidivism while keeping sustainability in mind. 

St. Vincent de Paul in Eugene completed renovations on their 10th home for their Veterans' Housing Project. The organization acquires and rehabs old houses for local veterans. 

A Eugene nonprofit will receive more than half a million dollars from health organizations after their pilot program helped dozens of homeless people find housing.

The Egan Warming Centers in Eugene and Springfield managed to keep around 500 homeless people safe and warm during last week’s snowstorm. However,  the organization is still in need of more volunteers for the remainder of March.

The Eugene City Council listened to over 40 community members during a public hearing on a new panhandling ordinance last night. If passed, the city could start fining motorists $50 for handing out personal property, including money, to pedestrians on the street.

Nearly $3.5 million in federal grants are coming to Lane County, to tackle homelessness. 

A group of youth took to the streets of Eugene last week to hand out care packages to people experiencing homelessness. The bags contained standard items like deodorant and toothpaste—and a mental health maintenance kit.

After 8 years, Shelley Corteville has stepped down as director of Egan Warming Center, a network of sites where homeless people can keep warm when temps fall below freezing. Now, the advocate plans to focus on helping unaccompanied youth.

The City of Eugene and Lane County officials are throwing their support behind an ambitious proposal aimed at effectively ending homelessness in the region.

The temporary homeless encampment in north Eugene known as Camp 99 is officially closed. By late Wednesday afternoon, only a few campers were still moving out-- under the watchful eye of security guards and Eugene police. Lane County officials say cleanup of the property will beginThursday morning.