'I got a 4-year old kid and we live just across the street'
By Elissa Harrington KVAL NewsEUGENE, Ore - Joey Harker does not like the news that a facility housing former prisoners, including sex offenders, is set to open across the street from from his house. "I'm not cool with it at all," says the Bethel-area resident. "I got a kid," he says. "I got a 4-year old kid and we live just across the street so that's not cool at all." The future facility will be "Sponsors." Sponsors is a live-in program for former prisoners that helps them get jobs, find permanent housing, and recover. Sponsors is currently located in South Eugene. This new facility will be comprised of three buildings in a lot at 338 Highway 99. It will house 72 men. "Everybody's gotta go somewhere," says neighbor Rebecca Mach. "And they'll be close to resources so I can see how that works but I didn't realize it would be such a large facility. That's almost like building a whole new jail there." Assistant director Paul Solomon says there's no reason for neighbors to be worried. He says at Sponsors, the men are closely monitored and have a high success rate. "All of our clients are required to take weekly drug tests," says Solomon, "and check in with case managers regularly." Solomon says Sponsors is a much-needed facility in our community where hundreds of former prisoners return each year. He says without it, former offenders could end up on the streets and could wind up back in the same environment that led to their incarceration. Construction on this facility is set to get underway in the next couple weeks. The new facility will open about a year from now. |
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