Temporary Stay Safe Area
Managed by the City of Bend and Deschutes County.
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is 170 acres of county and city owned property designated for homeless campers at Juniper Ridge, which is located northeast of Bend. It includes 50 acres of County-owned land and 120 acres of City-owned land and is located east of U.S. 97 and west of the railroad tracks (see map).
During a joint meeting in Fall 2024, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners and the Bend City Council agreed to establish the Temporary Safe Stay Area and work collaboratively to address the health and safety issues associated with dispersed camping in the area. Individuals camping in and around Juniper Ridge were notified that city owned property east of the railroad tracks will close on May 31, 2025, and they must either leave the area or move to the established Temporary Safe Stay Area location.
The joint agency agreement allows for the continuation of services currently being provided at Juniper Ridge, including sanitation services like drinking water stations, trash removal, hand washing stations and portable toilets. It also includes fuels reduction projects to reduce wildfire risk and expands the presence of security in the area.
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is being jointly funded by the County and the City, with the County contributing $400,000 and the City allocating $731,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act funds, for a total project cost of $1,131,000. The funding will help provide housing-based case management services through partnerships with local service providers. To view data on the services provided at the Temporary Safe Stay Area, please visit the Temporary Stay Safe Area dashboard.
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is intended to be a temporary solution for homeless camping at Juniper Ridge, and is scheduled to close in December 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is an area designated for people who are homeless and camping at Juniper Ridge. The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners and the Bend City Council agreed to establish the Temporary Safe Stay Area and work collaboratively to mitigate health and safety issues associated with unmanaged camping in the area. In Spring 2025, the city notified individuals camping on city owned land east of the railroad tracks that they must move to the Temporary Safe Stay Area before May 31, 2025.
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is not intended to accommodate new campers in the area. It is a temporary solution to help existing homeless campers at Juniper Ridge transition into better living situation. The Temporary Safe Stay Area is expected to be closed by December 2026.
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is 170 acres of county and city owned property at Juniper Ridge, which is northeast of Bend. It includes 50 acres of County-owned land and 120 acres of City-owned land and is located east of U.S. 97 and west of the railroad tracks. (See map).
The intent of establishing the Temporary Safe Stay Area? is to mitigate the health and safety risks associated with unmanaged camping at Juniper Ridge.
The joint agency agreement allows for the continuation of services currently being provided at Juniper Ridge, including sanitation services like drinking water stations, trash removal, hand washing stations and portable toilets. Security services in the area will also be expanded.
The City and County are funding the work of housing-based service providers to offer intensive case management to reduce housing barriers and help individuals transition into shelters or more permanent housing. County and City officials also agreed to continue working with the Coordinated Houselessness Response Office (CHRO) to allocate and leverage county-wide resources to assist in case management and operations.
The Temporary Safe Stay Area is being jointly funded by the County and the City, with the County contributing $400,000 and the City allocating $731,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act funds, for a total project cost of $1,131,000.