Eugene and Lane County officials want to get all homeless people off the streets within a few years, an effort that’s bound to cost millions of dollars. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, one city leader is confident residents will support the initiative.

A Boston-based consulting firm issued ten recommendations to local officials. Eugene City Manager Jon Ruiz told OPB’s Think Out Loud program says they’re already putting together an implementation team.

“And probably a back of the envelope estimate that we’re starting to think about, is $2-2.5 million, of ongoing dollars, revenue, to implement the ten of these.”

Ruiz doesn’t use the word “tax”…rather, he says he thinks the community will be asked to “invest”. But he adds there are existing services and facilities that could offset costs, such as current rest stops and a dawn to dawn facility.

“One of our partners, St. Vincent de Paul, they’ve set up a M*A*S*H-style tent in which we are currently housing almost 200 people every night.”

Ruiz says 2.7 percent of Lane County’s population is unsheltered, most of them single adults. He adds the unsheltered percentage is among the highest in the state, and is even higher than Portland's rate (2.0 %).

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