Homelessness in Lane County
Lane County has one of the highest per-capita rates of homelessness in the nation, with about 80% of our unhoused population living unsheltered (compared to 35% nationally). More than half report one or more disabling conditions and a third are chronically homeless (13+months unhoused).
Problem
Three interrelated crises prevent the chronically homeless from receiving adequate support.
Inadequate housing and supportive services for the population of individuals who struggle to remain housed absent sustained, intensive support.
Insufficient emergency shelter bed inventory to stabilize our most vulnerable populations; children, women, adults with disabilities, and those with untreated mental illness.
Critically low mental health service options for those who require jail alternatives and for those with substance abuse disorders that prevent community integration.
solution
At Carry it Forward, we are creating a scaffolding that allows for the development of the individual within the context of the struggles associated with homelessness and ultimately helps people stabilize, become housed, and build a foundation to actualize personal goals and thrive.
We are addressing our community's housing and homelessness problem on multiple fronts, seeking solutions at the individual, organizational, and larger systemic levels. We create replicable and revenue-generating solutions that improve conditions for people experiencing homelessness, provide increased access to social and economic resources, provide community opportunities for greater understanding of the issues, and demonstrate alternative models that create longer-lasting systemic change.
