Outdoor Shelter Update: 5 Things to Know

Outdoor Shelter Update: 5 Things to Know

The City of Bend is looking into possible locations for temporary outdoor shelters for unhoused community members in Bend. These outdoor shelters would be located in a location for one to three years, until the site can be developed with more permanent shelter or affordable housing.

An outdoor shelter is a place for people without homes to safely sleep at night that is professionally managed, with admission criteria, and provides sanitary services. Outdoor shelters may provide housing in mobile pods, like at Central Oregon Veterans Village, or in tents, like at Rogue Retreat in Medford, or in other similar temporary facilities.

Outdoor shelters can also provide people living there with access to much-needed health and social services. They help fill a gap in the housing we have in Bend and can help transition people into more stable housing.

Here are five things you should know about what the City is working on right now:

1. There are two locations being considered right now.
   1. The first is City-owned property off of NE Ninth Street (just south of First Presbyterian Church of Bend).
   2. The second is an ODOT-owner property off SE Third Street (between Les Schwab and the U.S. 97 South onramp).
2. If selected for a temporary outdoor shelter, each site would have temporary sanitation services, garbage service, addresses (to receive mail and access services), community member rules and regulations, a good neighbor agreement, and admission criteria for the people who live there.
3. The City will select a qualified social service provider to professionally manage each outdoor shelter location. Selection will be done by Request for Proposal (RPF) process.
4. The City has already started meeting with stakeholders and neighbors, including people who own or live in houses next to the proposed Ninth Street location, the school district, neighboring businesses and First Presbyterian Church. The City will continue meeting with these groups throughout the process.
5. The City has begun public outreach and will continue outreach throughout the process. Connect with your neighborhood association to see if outdoor shelters will be discussed at any upcoming meetings. Visit www.bendoregon.gov/outdoor-shelter to stay informed.

City Council has received many valid questions and comments about the proposed locations, like how an outdoor shelter could fit into a neighborhood. These are being taken into consideration as the City evaluates its options and how to best address community concerns in developing the shelter sites and working with service providers.

To learn more about the proposed location off Ninth Street, watch a recording of the Sept. 1 stakeholder meeting.