Eugene pulls funding for homeless camp

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – The future of a six-week-old homeless camp on Highway 99 in Eugene is uncertain after city councilors rejected a transition plan for the site and pulled back funding.

The Register-Guard reports the Council on Wednesday voted against designating the camp either as a “dusk to dawn” site or as a rest stop – the city’s two main programs to authorize secure areas where homeless people can legally camp outdoors.

City officials said Lane County, which created the camp in late October and owns the property where its located, proposed the new designation to give the camp more organization and structure.

But councilors raised a litany of concerns with the proposed designation, given it would reduce the camp’s capacity and not allow people to stay there during daytime hours. The camp now houses about 100 people.