The Eugene City Council voted 6 to 2 Monday night to allow small homeless camps. They would be managed by volunteers or non-profits and include garbage service and portable toilets at little or no cost to the city.
 
The camps would be for no more than 15 people each on land owned by the city, churches or nonprofit groups in commercial or industrial areas. The Council would control where the camps go and how many there are. Councilor Chris Pryor voted in favor of the plan, but he said it's a stop-gap.
 
"I mean it is something that is put in place to try to resolve a very immediate issue. And it is disconnected from many of the things we do because we do not have a coordinated, organized policy or program around dealing with homelessness. We keep doing this in small, little pieces."
 
Councilor George Poling expressed concern that this ordinance does not provide a long term solution for homelessness. He and Mike Clark voted against the proposal. Several homeless advocates thanked the City Council for the plan, calling it a huge step in the right direction.