At an Aug. 8 Eugene City Council meeting, three low-income housing projects were approved. The Housing Policy Board members had previously recommended funding for all three projects, with money being allocated from HOME funds (a program designed to promote affordable housing) and Lane County Road funds.
The Housing Policy Board is an advisory committee that addresses housing needs of low-income residents for the Board of Commissioners and the Springfield and Eugene city councils. With the approval from members of the City Council, these three housing projects can now continue as planned, and are now eligible for to apply for additional funding with the state of Oregon.
The first project, through Sponsors, Inc., will acquire 28 quads at 1728 Ferry St. and use that location to house and manage adults who have previously been charged with criminal offenses. Sponsors, Inc. is a Eugene organization dedicated to assisting such offenders. Units will be rented to those who have completed a transition, parole or substance abuse treatment program. The facility will run free of drugs and alcohol, and rent price is geared toward a one-person household at 26-33 percent of area median income.
The other two projects are proposals from St. Vincent DePaul. A HOME Funds grant of $300,000, as well as other funds from substance abuse programs and various veterans funding, will be used to purchase properties at 951 W. Seventh Ave., and 1859 W. 12th Ave.. Those properties will then be used to house chronically homeless veterans making less than 40 percent of area median income. Renters will also receive services through St. Vincent DePaul’s Vets Living Independently Following Treatment program.
St. Vincent DePaul’s second proposal is to use $150,000 from Lane County Road funds to install roads at an affordable housing project in Veneta.
Prior to the Aug. 8 City Council meeting, a public hearing was conducted on July 21, for Housing Policy Board members to discuss and finalize the low-income housing recommendations.
At the hearing, Anne Williams, housing program director for the St. Vincent DePaul agency, began by thanking everyone present for their support of the housing projects. Williams emphasized that local support and money is critical. If the Eugene City Council approves the Housing Policy Board recommendations for funding, the St. Vincent DePaul projects can apply for additional and necessary funding (in order to create a debt-free project) when the State of Oregon Consolidated Funding Cycle arrives.
“We’ve discovered that we have a large number of homeless in Lane County – until this project, there were no resources,” Williams said.
Throughout the public hearing it was emphasized that inexpensive housing is a key way for the community to support Eugene citizens who are trying to turn their lives around.
Williams later stressed that affordable housing must be the first step in helping veterans (who may suffer from drug addiction or other mental afflictions), because the city cannot deliver services to people without a place to live.
Another speaker to the panel was Andrew Smead, who discussed his life before drug treatment: He was living in a car and his kids were taken away. When he was accepted into his new residence, geared toward previous offenders, the housing project took away barriers and made it easy to move into his new location.
“They’ve been nothing but supportive,” said Smead. “My kids are back – I got a job. To me, it’s a miracle, because I know where I was a year ago – I’m not afraid to ask for help.”
Ron Chase, executive director of Sponsors, Inc., also spoke at the hearing. Chase said that if former criminals are successful in creating a new life for themselves, early assistance in housing (through projects such as those seeking city recommendation) will make ex-offenders much more attractive as future renters.
Chase emphasized that “the population we serve is chronically homeless,” and many have never received benefits due from the government, such as those guaranteed to veterans.
Chase explained that the goal of the housing projects is simple: to provide inexpensive housing opportunities to assist community members trying to turn their lives around. Chase added that the project should be supported by Eugene City Council members as well as the Eugene community.
City Council approves funds for low-income housing
Daily Emerald
September 18, 2005
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