EUGENE, Ore. -- A new navigation center, five years in the making, is aimed at tackling the homelessness crisis.
“In one way it is a relief, but in another way, it is a call to action. Now the work begins,” said Pat Farr, Lane County Board Chair. “We have done a lot of work getting this place prepared, but it is a sense of relief to finally have it online. But now we start serving people, and that's what it is all about.”
Located at 100 River Ave. in Eugene, the shelter is equipped to support up to 75 people at a time. It has beds, a dining area and space for people to receive medical care. Farr said it is close to a shopping center and a transit center making it easy for those using the navigation center to access necessities and amenities easily.
One person who was struggling with permanent housing was Shane Berry, who was paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident in 2015. He said if not for a place like this, he would not be alive today.
“I lost everything. I was on the streets with very little support, but eventually I made friends and found resources and got hooked up with programs like shelter care and Laurel Hill,” Berry said.
The building has been owned by the county since 2020 and starting next Monday, August 15, people can start moving in.
“It’s staffed, we have the facility provider in place, really the neighbors have been talked to,” Farr said,
Officials from Lane County said the program prioritizes people in need of housing resources through Lane County's Coordinated Entry System. The system allows users to connect with the best assistance possible to help end their homelessness.
“I mean what do you have to lose? It’s either that or go back to the streets and continue to suffer. You shouldn't put yourself through that,” said Berry. “Take advantage of the resources that are available to you.”
For more information about the Coordinated Entry program by Lane County, click here.
