April AIA-SWO Chapter Meeting Recap

Opportunity Village Budget Bungalows (images from the Opportunity Village Eugene website)

 

April’s AIA-SWO chapter meeting turned the light upon homelessness, a social problem that has resisted simple solutions for decades in America. Specifically, a panel of speakers described the valiant local effort to create Opportunity Village Eugene (OVE), a transitional village for homeless individuals and couples envisioned for west Eugene. 

Architects know how profoundly a living or work environment can shape the imaginations of the people inside them. “We shape buildings and then buildings shape us.” But what about those who are doing without? When people lack the security, the predictability, the comfort, and the definition of a “place to call their own,” what are we asking them to live without? 

Dan Bryant, pastor at First Christian Church and OVE board president, outlined the breadth of the challenge here in Eugene. A staggering 1,400 people may go without shelter on any given night. Caregivers like the Eugene Mission and ShelterCare have no choice but to turn away as many as 95% of those looking for a roof over their heads. The common stereotypes about the homeless—that they are predominantly drug addicts, winos, criminals, lazy, or mentally ill—are giving way to an understanding about how diverse their population really is. 

The homeless are often well-educated. Many are caring parents with children. Others are victims of domestic abuse, or burdened with physical disabilities, or unemployable for reasons beyond their control. The vast majority have roots in our community. Most are not transients; they are our neighbors. The reasons for homelessness are as different as each person is. 

Dan explained how Mayor Kitty Piercy charged the Opportunity Eugene Task Force with recommending “new and innovative” solutions to the issue of homelessness in Eugene. The group concluded establishing a safe and secure place for those currently without housing should be the first priority. Acting upon this recommendation, the City of Eugene approved OVE as a pilot project through October 1, 2014. 

Opportunity Village Illustrative Plan

After examining potential sites for several months, the City Council picked a vacant lot at 111 North Garfield Street near Roose­velt Boulevard as the future site for OVE. It was one five sites the council considered. The lot used to be a trailer park, so there are utilities on hand that can be repurposed. The immediate neighborhood doesn’t have a lot of residences, so the likelihood of resistance to establishing a transitional homeless community there is minimized. 

On the opposite side of the ledger, the lot is not conveniently located near basic services, such as a grocery store. However, in this regard it is nowhere as poorly sited as Dignity Village in Portland, which is located near the Portland International Airport, miles away from everything. Perhaps the North Garfield site’s biggest shortcoming is that the City of Eugene bought the property eight years ago with the intention of using it to construct a 40,000-square-foot maintenance garage for city vehicles. Ultimately, OVE’s days are numbered because the City will one day construct its garage. 

So what will Opportunity Village Eugene be? Dan described a transitional village of around 30 people who will collaborate with skilled architects and builders to construct simple, efficient micro-houses and shared common spaces. OVE’s vision includes providing its residents with opportunities to build a human-scaled community while developing skills and relationships that allow them to transition to a more sustainable lifestyle. The vision rests upon the notion that self-governance will provide residents with autonomy, responsibility, and respect. 

The building blocks of the village will be compact, simple, safe, secure, and transportable dwelling structures, clustered together to encourage community cohesion and security. Panelists Alex Daniell and Andrew Heben described the various types of structures, which will include Conestoga huts, deluxe and budget bungalows, roundhouses, and conic shells. The dwellings, none larger than about 100 square feet, will provide basic shelter only. Kitchen and food storage, a dining area, bathrooms, bike parking, and personal storage lockers will be communal. 

OVE will also provide a gathering space for meetings, and opportunities for gardens and micro-businesses. Overall, the village will offer a stable, safe, and sanitary environment where basic needs— food, shelter, medical care, a sense of dignity and belonging in place and community— are met. 

Mark Hubble, himself a homeless member of our community, discussed how meaningful it is to him to have an alternative to being on the streets. For Mark, simply having a lockable front door is huge. He was the first person to move into a Conestoga hut as part of Eugene’s car camping program, which allows huts to be placed on sites around the city hosted by local churches or businesses. He is optimistic Opportunity Village Eugene will provide the stability and a foundation people without houses need, as well as a sense of purpose, place, and belonging. 

Mark Hubble and his Conestoga hut

Mark detailed how the success of OVE will be predicated upon several core values. These include a village committed to horizontal organization and self-governance. They require resident participation to the greatest extent possible in the assembly of the structures. Additionally, the core values dictate an application and intake process based upon relationship building, and adherence to five basic, non-negotiable rules listed in the Community Agreement. 

The five rules for the Village are: 

1. No violence to yourselves or others
2. No theft 
3. No alcohol, illegal drugs, or drug paraphernalia 
4. No constant, disruptive behavior 
5. Everyone must contribute to the operation and maintenance of the Village.

Residents will self-manage the village with oversight provided by the non-profit, Opportunity Village Eugene (OVE). Residents will make decisions about how the village is managed and directly deal with minor disputes. The non-profit will ensure that the five basic rules are being upheld. OVE will also screen all potential residents and conduct criminal background checks. 

All of the evening’s panelists enriched our understanding of the struggles that accompany homelessness, and provided us with a little inspiration that can shape the work we do for clients who are much more fortunate. It’s all too easy for us to overlook how architects contribute powerfully to a larger, invisible structure that builds equity and compassion into our society. 

So what can we do to help? For one, we can volunteer our time and skills. We can also contribute construction materials to OVE’s building partner, Community Supported Shelters. CSS receives donations at the Tine Hive located at 1160 Grant Street in Eugene. And of course, OVE would welcome any monetary assistance. OVE is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so all contributions are tax-deductible.

If the Opportunity Village Eugene project is successful, the nonprofit hopes it will eventually see a network of several villages throughout the city. Everyone in our community benefits when those who are homeless are offered the opportunity afforded by needed shelter to renew their life goals and aspirations.