Public invited to June 20 open house

ROSEBURG, Ore. – The United Community Action Network (UCAN) and the City of Roseburg invite the public to an open house at the Gary Leif Navigation Center on Monday, June 20.

The open house will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the center, 948 SE Mill St. in Roseburg. Attendees will have a chance to tour the facility, ask questions and share concerns before the center opens on or before Thursday, June 30.

During the open house, UCAN officials will share their plans to operate the city-owned emergency shelter and navigation center, while service-provider partners will discuss plans to provide on-site wraparound services to unhoused clients staying at the shelter.

“We look forward to assisting the City of Roseburg and continuing to work with our many partner agencies in administering the new program and site to help serve the community’s homeless population,” said UCAN Executive Director Shaun Pritchard. “The goal of this program is to ensure that multi-agency supportive services are coordinated to accelerate a return to permanent housing for this population.”

Service providers expected at the Community Open House include Adapt, Aviva Health, Peace at Home and Umpqua Health Alliance. Roseburg Police Chief Gary Klopfenstein and other City officials also will be there to answer questions and hear people’s concerns.

“This is a huge step in getting unhoused people in our community into a stable environment where they will be able to get the assistance they need to find permanent, stable housing,” said Roseburg Assistant City Manager Amy Sowa. “We are fortunate to have a strong community partner like UCAN operating this shelter.”

A smaller Neighborhood Open House will be held just for immediate neighbors.

On March 15, the City entered into an operating agreement with UCAN to oversee a shelter and navigation center that will offer services for homeless women, men and families. The City bought the property in late February and the Roseburg City Council voted on Monday, March 14, to name the shelter for Leif, who was instrumental in getting $1.5 million in state funding for the facility before he died on July 22, 2021.

The City is on track to open Roseburg’s first emergency shelter and navigation center by June 30, enabling the City to keep $1.5 million in state funding and apply for an additional $1 million for the facility. In addition, Umpqua Health Alliance has provided the City two grants totaling $300,000 for the center.

The center’s Phase 1 opening will include 10 pallet shelters set up in the parking area and case management services to help people become more self-sufficient. Phase 2 includes renovating the building to allow 30 shelter beds.