Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis announced her intent to run for re-election Wednesday on KUGN’s radio show “What’s Up Eugene?” and in an announcement video published on Facebook.

“When I was sworn in as mayor, I said, ‘What we do in Eugene matters,” Vinis said in the announcement video. “Through challenging times, we have continued to stand-up for our values locally.”

Vinis was elected mayor of Eugene in November 2016 and took office in January 2017. Once elected, the mayor serves a four-year term. 

Before she became mayor, Vinis served as development director at ShelterCare, a local nonprofit that offers housing and support services to homeless people. 

In her announcement video, she pointed specifically to homelessness as an issue she’s tackling. 

“I’ve brought city councilors, businesses, and neighborhood leaders together to find innovative solutions that help those most in need and ensure everyone can feel safe on our streets and in our parks,” she said.

There are 2,165 homeless people living in Lane County, a 32% increase compared with last year, according to the 2019 Lane County Point-In-Time Homeless Count report. 

In her announcement on “What’s Up Eugene?”, Vinis also emphasized the need to prepare for climate change, saying it’s both a matter of emergency preparedness and long-term considerations, such as how to build housing and how to protect the economy.

“I feel that we’ve done very good work since I took office in 2017, and I am eager to continue to build on that foundation,” she said.

Vinis will file the candidacy paperwork when the filing period opens in Sept. 12, according to a press release from her campaign.