Construction is underway in West Eugene on an affordable housing complex for people with criminal histories. Officials celebrated with a groundbreaking Friday.
![Officials break ground on the Sponsors housing project in West Eugene.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/583c9b5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/280x158+0+0/resize/880x497!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmediad.publicbroadcasting.net%2Fp%2Fklcc%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fcard_280%2Fpublic%2F201606%2Fshovels2.jpg)
The 10-million dollar projectis a partnership between the Housing and Community Services Agency of Lane County and Sponsors. Sponsors already provides short term housing and re-entry services to people who’ve been in prison. Executive Director Paul Solomon says this is permanent housing.
Solomon: “This project will be for people who’ve completed transitional housing who are stable, who are able to self-finance their own rents but for a variety of reasons can’t get into decent housing, primarily because of their criminal history.”
Solomon says a citizen’s advisory committee was formed to address concerns about the project from nearby residents. The complex is expected to be complete early in 2017.
Copyright 2016 KLCC