With funding potentially expiring soon, the long-term future of Eugene’s city-supported shelter sites — formerly known as safe sleep sites — is uncertain, even as demand for sanctioned shelter options continues to outpace supply.
A 2021 city ordinance allowing for the temporary establishment of safe parking and safe tent sites has enabled these sites to provide unhoused residents a legal place to rest for nearly four years. St. Vincent de Paul, the largest operator of the sites, said it currently has a waitlist of roughly 300 people.
Despite the demand, the city has made no commitment to fund the sites beyond next year.
City officials say the city has secured funding to allow the program to continue through at least June 30, 2025. City spokesperson Amber Allan said a combination of current state funding, limited one-time grant funds and operational efficiencies, such as reduced staffing, will allow the city to extend funding into the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The 2025-2026 fiscal year begins on July 1, 2025, and ends on June 30, 2026.
What the sites offer
City officials say the city-supported shelter sites program aims to “provide safe, legal places for people experiencing homelessness to sleep and connect to services as well as reduce the impacts of unsanctioned camping across the city.” The program currently has three different sites.
Two city-supported shelter sites near the Trainsong neighborhood run by St. Vincent de Paul offer 55 RV spaces, additional smaller vehicle spaces, 86 indoor tents and six outdoor Conestoga huts for pet owners. Another site operated by Carry it Forward in the Harlow neighborhood near Autzen Stadium operates 20 pallet shelters only for individuals with special medical needs.
In addition to providing shelter, the sites offer amenities and services that vary by site, including communal restrooms, showers, case management and shared kitchens.
Funding Challenges
On Feb. 24, the Eugene City Council voted seven to one to extend the ordinance, allowing the sites to continue until June 30, 2028.
City Councilor Mike Clark, the only councilor who voted against extending the ordinance to 2028, expressed concern about extending the ordinance without guaranteed funding.
“We are relying on state funding that we don’t certainly have lined up,” Clark said at the time. “To an extent, I believe it obligates us by policy, so I’m not in favor of us shifting that funding to the city at a time when it’s most difficult to do.”
City officials, though, said extending the ordinance to that date does not obligate the city to continue funding the program.
Initially, the American Rescue Plan and a state grant for shelter operations provided funding for Eugene’s city-supported shelter sites. Now, two sites are funded by the “All In” state funding. A one-time existing grant funds another site because it is currently not eligible for “All In” funding.
In 2024, city officials estimated that operating the three sites cost roughly $3.6 million per year.
Officials say they cannot speculate about future funding because state lawmakers are considering extending the financing as part of the state’s 2025-2027 biennial budget, which begins on July 1. Allan said that without continued state funding, the city would need to work with operators to find other potential revenue sources and possible reductions in either beds or services.
“The City continues to advocate for additional and ongoing All In state shelter funds to supplement limited one-time grant funds,” Allan said in an email.
Public Opposition Limited
In 2021, The Register-Guard reported that some residents opposed building the sites in certain areas. That public opposition, though, appears to have largely subsided.
At the February meeting where the council extended the ordinance and a public hearing concerning the extension, nobody delivered public testimony against extending the ordinance. Only one person, a representative from St. Vincent de Paul, testified about the ordinance at the public hearing.
The city-supported shelter sites have grown into St. Vincent de Paul’s “highest performing program,” Operations Manager Jack Boisen said at the public hearing. He added that the sites meet community needs by providing “calm, trauma-informed shelter” and safe sheltering for unhoused individuals living in vehicles.
In 2024, the percentage of individuals exiting the city-supported shelter sites to permanent housing increased to 27%, a 9% increase from 2023. Additionally, the percentage of individuals exiting the sites to more stable living situations increased to 44% that year, a 21% increase from the prior year.
According to Allan, all contracts require the operators to be available to respond to concerns and complaints about the sites. Allan said this could include problem-solving with the city to address potential issues that may arise.
Boisen said St. Vincent de Paul is unaware of any complaints about its two city-supported shelter sites.
“Our sites are incredibly safe, and we haven’t had complaints,” Boisen said in an interview with The Daily Emerald.
A representative for a business adjacent to one of St. Vincent’s two city-supported shelter sites on Garfield Street echoed similar sentiment.
“As a neighbor of the safe sleep site for many years, we have no major complaints and fully support their work and initiatives in the community,” Arcimoto Chief Operating Officer Dwayne Lum said.
The only other operator of the city-supported sites, Carry it Forward, said early outreach to its neighbors helped prevent sustained community opposition.
“We have a good relationship with (our neighbors),” Executive Director Kris McAlister said. He added that one neighbor told him they were initially skeptical that the site would remain clean and quiet, but they have been proven wrong.
Program’s future
Despite city officials advocating for more state funding and the City Council’s decision to extend the ordinance until 2028, the future of Eugene’s city-supported shelter sites is in limbo.
Whether the sites can continue to operate largely hinges on the state’s next biennial budget, which begins in July. Gov. Tina Kotek’s proposed 2025-2027 budget calls for a nearly 43% increase in general fund allocation for housing stabilization programs, which include homelessness services, housing retention and energy services.
However, until state lawmakers finalize the budget and Eugene knows its funding allocation, the program’s long-term future remains unclear.
Lawmakers will likely approve the final budget sometime in June. In 2023, lawmakers approved the 2023-2025 budget on June 25.
Denise Waterford • May 23, 2025 at 11:23 am
At the rate the United States is going, no less than one-third of the US population will be homeless at any given time. As long as liberals favor illegal immigrants over homeless Americans, the poor will always be with them.
Linda walling • May 20, 2025 at 1:06 am
My title thoughts on this I think that the homeless deserve help. Green Hill also needs money where is the help. You guys are bailing on them