State seeks public input on High Desert housing crisis

Oregon Housing and Community Services is seeking community input and advice to determine how it can do better in serving our most vulnerable residents.

OHCS is developing a federally required Consolidated Plan, a five-year look at how to address housing needs in Oregon. The Consolidated Plan is the strategic look at how to address the housing needs and invest in services that support persons experiencing homelessness.

“OHCS is committed to the idea that all Oregonians have the opportunity to pursue prosperity and live free from poverty,” said Margaret Van Vliet, OHCS director.

“OHCS is partnering with Housing Works and NeighborImpact to learn more about the significant housing problems facing the Central Oregon community, and how we can address them,” she said.

Neighbors in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties are struggling to pay rent, and home ownership is out of reach for many. With vacancy rates at record lows, and rents increasing, too many people are unable to find an affordable place to live.

“The problems we face in Central Oregon are at a crisis point. Poverty, housing insecurity, and the current market is significantly affecting all of our lives,” said Deschutes County Commissioner Tammy Baney. “Community input will be critical to understanding the issues people are facing so we can begin to tackle these problems.”

To hear about the challenges facing the residents of Central Oregon, OHCS and its partners are hosting a discussion about housing and service needs. Community members will participate in a round table discussion on the community’s challenges. These conversations will help inform the development of our strategic plan to tackle our most pressing housing needs.

The meeting will be at the Redmond Public Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave, on Monday, May 18 from 4–6 p.m.

In addition, service and housing providers will be meeting earlier in the day for a roundtable discussion on these issues at Housing Works from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. For more information on this roundtable, please contact Kim Travis at kim.travis@oregon.gov.

For more information, please visit http://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/pages/consolidated-plan-five-year-plan.aspx.

People interested in participating but unable to attend can respond to our community survey at the following website https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JFSR7G9. The survey is also available in Spanish here: https://es.surveymonkey.com/s/2XFYPFS .