EUGENE, Ore. — Eugene’s new mayor, Kaarin Knudson, opened Monday night’s State of the City address with a celebration of Eugene’s unique spirit of civic engagement.
Knudson — Eugene’s 40th mayor — took the stage at the Hult Center’s Soreng Theater at 5:30 pm to honor the city’s aptitude for resiliency and determination.
The mayor announced a bold Downtown Housing Initiative to build 1,000 new housing units in Eugene over the next five years, with a fifth planned for the downtown area. She said the initiative is key to addressing the city’s housing crisis and revitalizing the urban core. “We need to build 1,000 new units of 3 housing in Downtown in the next 5 years, and we need 200 of them to be in the Downtown core.” Knudson added.
Knusdon’s speech highlighted affordable housing as a top priority, noting that nearly half of residents are burdened by housing costs. “The lack of available, affordable housing is the root cause of our homelessness crisis.” Knudson declared.
She also acknowledged the challenges ahead. “Zero units of housing have been built in the Downtown Core in the past five years.”
Knudson outlined several key strategies to meet the city’s ambitious housing goals, like identifying development sites, optimizing city systems to reduce excess costs and improving public safety to make neighborhoods more welcoming.
She emphasized increasing housing density to promote sustainability and economic growth.
Beyond housing, Knudson stressed the importance of investing in public spaces. Plans to improve street design, support transportation options, and enhance public spaces were met with applause from the audience.
Mayor Knudson pledged to keep her calendar open for person-to-person engagement to foster greater connection between city leadership and residents. “Accessibility is a priority on my calendar, and as mayor, I hope to get to know you in the months and years ahead,” she said.
“You’ll also see me share regular updates on weekly events and public meetings, and stories from our work all around the city,” the mayor added.
Knudson concluded her address with a hopeful message, calling the community to work together toward a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future: “I hope you feel connected through our work and to the generations before us who added their part.”