City of Bend provides details on proposed Juniper Ridge temporary shelter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The city of Bend on Thursday outlined new details about the process for a proposed temporary transitional homeless shelter at the city-owned Juniper Ridge site, saying the chosen location would provide more separation for some neighbors who have raised objections.

Here's the city's full news release on the effort:

On Oct. 21, the Bend City Council supported a staff plan to explore options for a temporary transitional shelter site on city-owned property in Juniper Ridge.

Evaluation of the feasibility of the temporary site is in preliminary stages. City staff are working with nonprofit services organizations, neighborhood leaders and partner agencies to develop plans for community safety and on-site services for the managed temporary transitional shelter site, to help address concerns from neighboring property owners and businesses. 

City staff are currently working with social services professionals to create strategies for things like service provision, case management, on-site sanitation, property management, public safety and other items related to proper management of the proposed temporary site. 

“We are fortunate to work with medical and social services professionals with subject matter expertise in serving our homeless community,” said Bend Economic Development Director Carolyn Eagan. “It will take all of us working together with the neighboring residents and business owners to build a safe, accessible temporary shelter site that supports the individuals and families who will temporarily call it home.”

As part of the planning process, city staff are identifying a potential location for the site. Staff are focusing on a city-owned parcel in Juniper Ridge that is currently being used as a rock-crushing site for the North Interceptor Sewer Line Project.

As that rock-crushing operation moves further north in early 2021, it will leave behind a cleared, graded site. 

The availability of a cleared and graded site will save time and significantly reduce the cost of developing the temporary transitional shelter site. This potential location is also further north of Cooley Road, which would provide separation between the site and neighbors south of Juniper Ridge.

(Eagan told NewsChannel 21 the site is the same general location as first presented to councilors but "refined slightly," east of the current end of Cooley Road and north of its future alignment.)

During the plan development, there will be opportunities for community members to learn more and provide input through online meetings. These online meetings will provide neighbors, social services providers and other stakeholders a chance to be involved as the feasibility for this proposed site is evaluated.

The online meetings will be in early December and the city will release the date, time and links to the online meetings when that information is available.

A temporary transitional shelter site at Juniper Ridge is one of many short-term solutions to help address homelessness in Bend. To learn more about other temporary transitional shelter sites, or to apply to establish a shelter site, visit the Temporary Transitional Shelter Sites page.

Mid- and long-term solutions, like extending winter warming shelters for more months or building additional affordable housing units, are also necessary to support community members as they transition out of homelessness and into stable housing.

To learn more about the continuum of housing needed in Bend, visit the Emergency Homelessness Task Force page.