Bend expands Safe Parking Program with three new sites for homeless individuals
(Update: Adding video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The City of Bend is expanding its Safe Parking Program by introducing three new designated sites to support people experiencing homelessness.
These new locations are near Les Schwab at the south end, Westside Church in northwest Bend, and the Deschutes County Public Safety Campus to the north. The sites provide a safe, legal, and sanitary place for those living in vehicles while they work toward permanent housing.
"Our participants have to make two significant commitments to be a part of this," said Rick Russell, Executive Director of Mountain View Community Development. "Number one, they have to agree to work with a case manager every week toward a housing goal. And number two, they have to agree to be a good neighbor, in terms of quiet hours and having their pets on a leash and being a positive presence in the neighborhood."
Mountain View Community Development oversees the Safe Parking Program, ensuring safety with daily staff presence, security cameras, and background checks. This approach aims to provide structure and accountability, distinguishing it from managed camps. In 2023, a managed camp proposal at the Les Schwab site sparked controversy, but the current parking program approach has gained support from neighbors.
Phil Chang, Deschutes County Commissioner, emphasized the program's cost-effectiveness, stating, "It provides a pathway out of homelessness for people to combine a safe place to rest and compose their lives with that support of case management that's going to help them walk the pathway out of homelessness."
Rick Russell shared a success story of a participant who moved from living in a car to securing her own apartment, highlighting the program's potential to facilitate long-term housing solutions. The city plans to open more sites and micro shelters in the coming months, further supporting Bend's efforts to provide solutions to homelessness with community backing.
With the expansion of the Safe Parking Program, Bend aims to create more opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness to achieve stability and permanent housing. The initiative reflects a collaborative effort to address a pressing community issue with structured support and accountability.
