Deschutes County opens managed homeless camp in Redmond

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes County has opened its first managed homeless camp in Redmond. The new site will serve around 36 people.

Located next to Oasis Village, another transitional housing program, the site offers an alternative approach to assist individuals who are unable to access traditional shelters or other resources.

The camp is managed by First Light, a Bend-based nonprofit organization. The group calls the program “A Healing Village” and aims to provide residents with the space and protection necessary to stabilize while working with each person to develop an individual path forward.

Deschutes County Administrator Erik Kropp outlined the expectations for residents living at the site. “The rules really fall into four main categories. The first is for people to, be safe and keep others safe, be a good neighbor, keep their campsite clean and have a plan to get out of homelessness and work toward that plan,” Kropp said.

First Light is slowly moving people into the area, and there may be room to expand the program in the future.