State funds will expand services

Gov. Kotek has signed the Emergency Housing Stability and Production Package (Senate Bill 1530, Senate Bill 1537) into law.

Between this package and other legislation signed recently, including the Oregon Drug Intervention Plan (House Bill 4002, House Bill 5204), Lane County lawmakers secured $14.5 million in new funding to expand crisis stabilization and drug treatment services, develop more affordable housing, and improve water and sewer infrastructure to pave the way for more housing development.

“These investments in water and sewer infrastructure improvements will allow cities to lay the foundation needed to build hundreds of new homes to meet the growing need for affordable places to live, all the while bringing jobs to our community and boosting the local economy,” Rep. John Lively (D–Springfield) said.

Major projects secured by lawmakers include:

$6 million to the City of Eugene for water and sewer infrastructure improvements along Crow Road, supporting the development of hundreds of new homes within the urban growth boundary and bringing more than 850 jobs to the community.

$3 million to the City of Springfield for sewer infrastructure improvements for Glenwood Riverfront area development.

$1.5 million to Homes for Good Housing Agency for the Ollie Court Housing Project, providing 81 units of affordable housing with a six-classroom early learning center.

$4 million to Willamette Family, Inc. to support the construction of the Willamette Family Medical Detox and Resident Services facility, including 33 additional slots to serve community members in crisis or who are struggling with addiction.

“The Ollie Court Housing Project is an innovative model co-locating affordable housing with an early learning center, addressing the needs for families to have both a safe, affordable place to live and access to affordable childcare,” House Speaker Julie Fahey (D–West Eugene & Veneta) said.

In total, lawmakers brought home $10.5 million in new funds for affordable housing development and infrastructure improvement in Lane County, and $4 million to expand crisis stabilization and drug treatment services, according to Lane County law makers.

Lane County will also benefit from statewide investments aimed at improving connections between substance use disorder services and the criminal justice system so more Oregonians get the help they deserve.

Grants to assist counties with setting up deflection programs that will connect Oregonians dealing with addiction to treatment services and prevent them from becoming involved in the criminal justice system ($30 million statewide) – HB 5204

More staff and coordination for drug courts to divert those already involved in the justice system to treatment ($9.7 million statewide) – HB 5204

“Lane County has been a leader in using effective and cost-efficient models by establishing one of the first Drug Courts in the nation in 1994,” Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D–Springfield & Eugene) said. “I’m proud the Legislature is stabilizing state funding, expanding capacity of our drug courts, and realizing the importance of investing in additional, community-based addiction treatment services for our neighbors who want to access those services.”

These new investments are part of the legislature’s statewide commitment to take immediate action on the drug crisis, expand access to drug treatment, and build more affordable housing. The Senate and House Democratic caucuses prioritized these issues in their 2024 session agendas.