https://kpic.com/news/local/housing-first-umpqua-believes-theres-a-better-way-to-help-homeless

The Roseburg Homeless Commission is moving ahead with its plans to adopt the Rogue Retreat model from Medford. But Housing First Umpqua in Roseburg believes there's a better way to help the homeless.

Housing First is about just that - housing first.

Chairperson Betsy Cunningham calls Rogue Retreat a “housing ready” model.

"'Housing ready' is you have to earn your way into housing. And that's what Rogue Retreat still follows. Instead of us, which is based on the evidence, which is you put them in housing first, and you provide those wrap around services," says Betsy Cunningham with Housing First Umpqua.

Cunningham says getting housed develops stability for people so that they can start getting mental health and addiction services.

She says it allows for a smoother transition to permanent housing.

"So our advocacy right now is to have what we call safe ground encampments," says Cunningham. "Where there are places that can be small, confined would probably be better, where they could have access to all the people that can help them. It's a totally different model. We stabilize you psychologically and physically by housing, and then we start bringing in these services. It's really a totally different approach to it."

Jaiden Oquendo, who is homeless and a volunteer, agrees the 'housing ready' model isn't the best option.

"It does get some people off the streets, but it's not a 100% solution towards ending homelessness," Oquendo says. "Which is just going to create this cycle of just continuing to have people out on the streets ultimately."

Housing First is working with a number of other advocacy groups to do outreach and give out supplies.

Right now they're focusing on getting the voices of the homeless heard for some upcoming legislation.

It's called the "Right to Rest Act."

"It's about making sure that cities and counties and local jurisdictions can't continue to do this kind of policing approach to addressing homelessness, and actually make sure that people aren't continuously moved around," says Cunningham.

A judiciary committee hearing on the "Right to Rest Act" is scheduled for March 9th.