Housing Implementation Pipeline (HIP) six-month progress update
The first report on the City’s progress toward housing goals and priorities is available to the public online at http://www.eugene-or.gov/hip. This report provides an overview of progress toward HIP goals from July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.
In addition, the six-month progress update describes how the HIP has streamlined internal coordination and strengthened relations with external partners working on housing-related issues. We are excited to deliver this first update on HIP progress toward addressing some of the most complex and persistent issues facing our community.
The HIP outlines goals in three areas: homelessness, income-qualified housing, and overall housing supply. Here’s a quick look at highlights from each of the three areas of focus.
Homelessness
River Avenue Navigation Center
The R
iver Avenue Navigation Center at 101 River Ave. opened in September 2022 to provide 75 emergency shelter beds, with housing case management services. With $1 million of one-time pandemic related funding from the City of Eugene, Lane County contracted with Equitable Social Solutions to operate the site, and it is approaching operational capacity.
Shelter creation
The City supported the creation of 80 Safe Sleep Site spaces since the start of the HIP period, all of which are operating at capacity with lengthy waitlists. The latest addition to the City’s Safe Sleep site portfolio is a 20-unit shelter for individuals with sensitive medical needs.
Income-Qualified Housing
The Nel
In August 2022, Homes for Good opened The Nel in downtown Eugene, providing 45 units of permanent supportive housing for very low- and extremely low-income households experiencing homelessness as well as onsite supportive services. The City contributed more than $1 million to The Nel, including $851,100 in federal HOME funds and $198,895 in City fee assistance. The City has committed an additional $500,000 from State grant funds to ensure critical support services for residents.
Naval Reserve Apartments and Early Learning Center 
The former Naval Reserve site near 13th and Chambers was included in 2022 HOME RFP, and Council awarded the property to Homes for Good for the 80-unit Naval Reserve Apartments and Early Learning Center proposal in January 2023.
To complete the financing, Homes for Good applied for State resources in the Spring of 2023. If all resources are awarded, the development would start construction in Spring/Summer of 2024.
More Affordable Housing progress
Other key affordable housing developments that experienced progress during this period include:
- Ketanji Court, Downtown, 59 units of below-market rate affordable housing (complete);
- Peace Village, Santa Clara – 70 home ownership units (under construction);
- Nelson Place, Bethel – 31 home ownership units (under construction);
- Polk 2.0, Whiteaker – 6 units PSH, 6 rental units (under construction); and
- Green Lane Veteran’s Housing, Santa Clara– 10 units PSH (in site review).
Overall Housing Supply
West 11th Avenue and Crow Road Wastewater Extension project
Public Works Engineering and Planning staff collaborated to review the major collection system expansion projects listed in the 2020 Wastewater Master Plan and looked at the number of dwelling units, commercial jobs, and industrial jobs that would result from each project. Estimates for the West 11th Avenue and Crow Road project area suggest the potential to create hundreds of jobs (both commercial and industrial) in addition to more than 1,000 housing units.
Middle Housing Code Amendments
On May 24, 2022, City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 20667 to allow more housing types including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage clusters and townhouses in more places throughout the city. Since the Middle Housing Code Amendments became effective, a handful of middle housing land division applications have been submitted, as well as building permits for new middle housing dwellings and some conversions of existing dwellings to middle housing.
Urban Reserves
Urban reserves are lands outside the urban growth boundary (UGB) that can be considered first if Eugene needs to expand for its growing population. In April 2023, City Council and the Lane County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the urban reserves adoption package, consistent with both the Eugene and Lane County Planning Commissions unanimous recommendations. The urban reserves adoption materials and urban reserves web map can be found on the project web page at www.eugene-or.gov/UrbanReserves.
The HIP is an internal, cross-departmental, five-year work plan for the City organization. This plan coordinates current and future City resources, goals, and priorities with a systems-thinking approach to housing across the full continuum, from people experiencing homelessness to overall housing supply.
The operational period for the HIP strategic plan began in July 2022 and continues for a five-year period ending in June 2027. The public will receive updates on progress, challenges, and opportunities related to the HIP every six months during the operational period. The entire HIP document, housing news, and 6-month HIP updates can be found online at www.eugene-or.gov/hip.