Lane County to consider requiring hotels to hold homeless people in quarantine

Lane County to consider requiring hotels to hold homeless people in quarantine

Lane county could soon be required to take in homeless people during the pandemic.

The lane county board will consider a new rule requiring hotels to accept government money to let unhoused people stay there while they await the results of coronavirus tests.

Kezi 9 news reporter jacob roberts joins us live from downtown eugene with more on the proposal.

Leaders say there is an urgent need to provide a place to stay for unhoused people who need to be quarantined.

But some hotels and motels won't allow the homeless to stay there, even if they are getting reimbursed.

A newly proposed ordinance would change that.

It would require hotels and motels to accept government payment at what it calls a "reasonable rate" to house transient populations.

Leaders say this is an emergency situation, and those who have no place to stay will spread covid-19 and ultiamtely result in more deaths in lane county.

But industry leaders have already come out in opposition to the proposal, citing security concerns and low levels of staff at hotels because of coronavirus.

The proposal has it's first reading today at the board of commissioners meeting and is scheduled for a public hearing on may fifth.

If passed, the rule would not last forever.

It would expire at the end of the year unless renewed by the board.

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