Commissioners hear about regional homeless plans

ALBANY — By 2026, Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties will be part of a “HUD Continuum of Care” partnership that focuses on homeless issues, Liesel Eckert, Housing Services Manager with Community Services Consortium told the Linn County Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning.

Commissioner Roger Nyquist was present in the board room and commissioners Will Tucker and Sherrie Sprenger participated telephonically.

Eckert said the three counties are currently part of a 26-county regional group, known as a Rural Oregon Continuum of Care (ROCC). By creating the smaller, more regionally centered group, she believes there will be more opportunities to pinpoint local needs and resources, plus gain access to grant funds.

According to materials provided to the commissioners, the local partnership will include county governments, housing providers, health care providers, housing developers, culturally specific organizations, businesses, schools, emergency responders, lay persons and veterans services.

According to Eckert, Marion and Polk counties pulled out of the ROCC in 2020 and their new HUD Continuum of Care partnership saw funding increase from $715,000 in 2019 to $1.3 million in 2022.

In 2023, the 26-county ROCC received $26 million in Emergency funding from the State of Oregon. The Linn-Benton-Lincoln share was $3.7 million. Jackson County in southern Oregon, received $8.8 million alone.

FY 2025 will focus on establishing membership, electing a board of directors and reaching out into communities. The group plans to be have required governing documents approved by mid-2025 and to be eligible for HUD funding in 2026.

Commissioner Nyquist thanked Eckert for her presentation and the work that has already been done.

“I love what you are doing and encourage you to continue,” he said. “We will do our best to support you, but you have to realize that providing start-up money is different than committing to an annual financial allocation.”

In other business:

• The commissioners approved several Health Department requests connected with back-up electrical power generation. Last January’s massive ice storm, that saw parts of Linn County out of power for more than a week, was a wake-up call that certain segments of the population served by the Health Department, need power for medical devices and to keep medications properly cooled etc. Contracts approved included up to $275,000 to purchase solar-battery packs from Lowe’s. Commissioners also approved a contract with Platt Electric to purchase and set up 30 home generators for $145,448 (money comes from a federal grant). Approved a $100,000 transfer within the Health Fund for the purchase and installation of generator for the Public Health Building.
• Accepted a $500,000 grant from the InterCommunity Health Network to assist with the remodeling of the 7^th Street Medical Building as a Crisis Stabilization Center.
• Approved an amendment to the Sand Ridge Road: Butte Creek Bridge Project intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation, adding the construction phase. The move increases the agreement from $409,534 to $2,472,875.35.
• Approved a $15,000 Fair & Expo grants fund transfer for the addition and installation of the Pastega Christmas Lights at the Fair & Expo Center. The animated displays have joined the Christmas Storybook Land and Town & Country Christmas Bazaar in what is being billed as the Mid-Valley Magical Holiday Celebration.
• Announced an Elected Officials meeting will be held from noon-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the Fair & Expo Center.

Media contact: Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer, 541-967-3825 or email apaul@co.linn.or.us.