City of Bend, Deschutes County may jointly fund effort to find, open managed campsite for homeless

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The city of Bend and Deschutes County are in talks to possibly jointly fund a managed campsite for the area's homeless.

"This is sort of the bare minimum we need to get going right now,” Bend City Councilor Anthony Broadman said. 

Broadman is proposing to put $1.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds toward a managed campsite for those experiencing houselessness in Bend.

"I would love to have a place where somebody knows they can camp without having to be moved or asked to move or being in a right of way,” Broadman said Friday. 

He is hoping Deschutes County will match the funds.

"I think my proposal of $1.5 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan) fund matching is simply to get the conversation started,” Broadman said. 

The city’s money will come out of the $14 million it received from the American Rescue Plan Act.

City spokeswoman Anne Aurand said councilors have indicated support for the $1.5 million allocation of ARPA funds that will be discussed with the council's stewardship subcommittee later this month and with the council in July. A formal decision on those funds is expected in August, she said.

The county received $40 million from the same legislation, but is waiting on a more concrete plan from the city.

"We haven't reached a formal decision point yet,” county Commissioner Phil Chang said. “I can't say whether or not the county is in on their $1.5 million match plan at this point." 

Chang says it's likely the project will happen, but there are a lot of steps that must happen first.

"I would give it decent odds, I think it's a decent possibility,” Chang said. “Really, the land is a bigger challenge than the money, in a lot of ways."

Broadman said the site would have basic amenities, like bathrooms and garbage pickup, and he hopes to work with service providers.

When asked for potential locations for the campsite, Broadman was not able to name a spot.

"There isn't a specific location that's one of those things we're hoping to get out of this matching funds proposal,” Broadman said.

Chang could not narrow down a location either.

"Between zoning, neighboring uses and who else/what other things we might be able to use the land for, there's a lot of challenges with any of the sites that are potentially available,” he said. 

Wherever the location ends up being, Chang emphasized the need.

"In my book it's critical -- it’s at the top,” Chang said. 

Broadman said he and the city feel the same. 

"I think what we all want, whether you're struggling with homelessness or not, is just clear exceptions on how and where you're going to sleep tonight,” Broadman said. 

The city is meeting next Friday to discuss the plan further, while the county anticipates to discuss a proposal sometime next week.

The goal is for a campsite site to be determined and available in the next 60 to 90 days. 

A proposal for transitional shelter on the southern edge of the city's Juniper Ridge property, which sparked strong criticism, was dropped late last year, as staff cited issues ranging from timing and logistics to feasibility.