1.4 RESEARCH (GROUP) - Downtown Eugene Housing and Shelter

1.4 RESEARCH (GROUP) – Downtown Eugene Housing and Shelter

January 23, 2024 · by · in

Affordable Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing

Housing and Homelessness in the US

According to Redfin, a real estate listing company, only “16% of home listings were affordable for the typical household in 2023” which the company claims is the “lowest share on record.” (Source) Additionally, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that “582,462 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2022” (Source). Homelessness affects individuals, families with children, unaccompanied children, veterans, and other populations.  With over 300,000 layoffs in 2023 (source), affordable housing is becoming an issue for more and more Americans.

Additional information: 

  • https://www.habitat.org/costofhome/2023-state-nations-housing-report-lack-affordable-housing
  • https://www.npr.org/2023/12/24/1221480443/most-homes-for-sale-in-2023-were-not-affordable-for-a-typical-u-s-household
  • https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
  • https://socialwork.du.edu/chhr

Housing and Homelessness in Eugene, Oregon

According to Lane County Human Services, 2,880 individuals were counted for the Point-In-Time (PIT) Count on January 25, 2023 (Source). Lane County’s Human Services Division monitors permanent supportive housing availability, waiting lists, and total populations (source).

In 2022, Eugene passed a new ordinance allowing for what has been termed “missing middle housing” – duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, rowhouses, and cottage clusters (source)- however, the city ordinance is tied up in litigation, and the code changes have not yet been implemented (Source). As of July 1, 2022, Eugene’s city government has been working to increase housing affordability and supply through the City’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan which sets the priorities below: (source)

  • Mitigate the impacts of homelessness on unhoused individuals and the community
  • Stabilize the cost of housing
  • Increase the vibrancy, economic vitality, and livability of downtown

Additional Information: 

  • https://kval.com/news/local/analysis-says-eugene-has-most-homeless-per-capita-in-us-im-actually-not-surprised
  • https://www.communitysupportedshelters.org/homelessness-glossary 
  • https://www.eugene-or.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31978/University-of-Oregon-Rest-Stop-and-Opportunity-Village-Report?bidId= 

Eugene Oregon Tops the list of cities for homeless population

Authored by Kaling Phung and Dawnielle Castledine