Lane County has authorized the use of the Expo Center at Lane Events Center/Fairground for a 24/7 clean air shelter, operated by the City of Eugene. This is effective immediately and will be consistent with public health protocols for COVID19. Due to COVID-19 health protocols, the respite center will serve up to 15 vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness.
Access to the overnight respite center is through referral through White Bird, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 341 E. 12th Ave., or their 24-hour crisis line (541) 687-4000.
The City of Eugene is contracting with St. Vincent DePaul to open the center which will offer shelter through 9 a.m. on Tuesday, at which time we will assess the need to extend services. Hilyard Community Center will also offer daytime clean air shelter on Monday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The City and County request the help of community partners in identifying additional respite sites.
We recognize our entire county is in an extraordinary and extremely difficult crisis. We are working to provide services to everyone in need. The City of Eugene and Lane County have been working together to establish clean air shelters since Wednesday, September 9. These started out at Hilyard and Petersen Barn Community Centers and the Lane Events Center for people who do not have access to indoor shelter. The shelters were consolidated into one shelter at the Lane Events Center which was staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. this weekend.
Additionally, Lane County continues to work with homeless service providers to provide N95 masks for distribution, so far supplying 300.