Eau Claire Proposing Outreach Program to Address Homelessness

The City of Eau Claire is proposing an outreach program to connect unhoused individuals with needed resources and address safety concerns.

The Street Ambassador program is an initiative that would bring in an organization to act a liaison between people experiencing homelessness and downtown businesses. The program is part of the city’s proposed operating budget for 2025, and would be funded by American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Homelessness and the availability of affordable housing have become growing concerns in the Chippewa Valley. Earlier this year, a point in time survey found that the number of identified unhoused individuals had skyrocketed in the region. Eau Claire County had the highest percentage of the growing unhoused population, with 82 identified unhoused individuals.

The City of Eau Claire also has a vacancy rate of just under 4%, which is far below the state average of 11%. Local leaders have called for more aggressive programs to address the growing unhoused population, but long-term progress takes time and funding.

In the interim, the street ambassador program aims to lighten the burden as much as possible. The program is meant to connect unhoused individuals with essential services and avoid a law enforcement response whenever possible.

According to a WQOW report, the City of Eau Claire has already narrowed down the list of potential organizations to partner with. A finalized contract could be approved by the city council by the end of the year, and there could be ambassadors on the street in just a few months.

City officials say the goal for the proposed budget is to manage the area’s rapid growth while maintaining quality of service. With affordable housing as one of the major challenges facing the region, the budget calls for significant spending on housing initiatives.