Bend declares Hunnell Road homeless camp ‘unsafe’; move-out plans leave houseless unsure of future

(Update: Adding comments by resident, houseless coordinator)

'It's hard out here -- I don't know what we're going to do'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The city of Bend said Wednesday it has declared the area of Northeast Hunnell Road as an “unsafe campsite” (as defined in a city administrative policy), which will initiate an outreach process to support those living in the area and will eventually result in clearing the long-standing camps in March.

Based on an assessment of the area of North Hunnell Road (between Cooley Road and a dead-end cul-de-sac to the north), including Loco and Clausen roads, the city said it "has determined that circumstances around North Hunnell Road have created a threat to public health, safety and the environment," based on an assessment of conditions in the area between Aug. 15 and Nov. 15.

"Vehicles and personal property are encroaching on traffic lanes, a concern for people living in and traveling through the area," the city statement said. "Police dealt with 218 calls during the three-month assessment period, resulting in 43 criminal cases and 33 arrests. Other concerns include environmental impacts, some of them related to vehicles, and reports of fires."

However, with the changes to come, many people living in the area don’t quite know what their next steps will be.

NewsChannel 21 spoke Wednesday with one houseless man from Washington who has lived in the area since February. He's battling cancer and the winter weather, among other challenges.

“It’s hard out here -- I don’t know what we’re going to do," James Bradley said.

Bradley and his fiancé currently live in a trailer behind their motor home.

"Our motor home got black mold in it, and I got sick over it," Bradley said. "Not only that, but I’m fighting blood cancer. I can’t work, I have seizures, strokes -- that causes issues. Some days I have good, some days I have anywhere from 23 to 30 seizures.”

With the difficult winter conditions, Bradley said he and fiancé lost 90% of their belongings.

"All of our stuff got soaked due to the snow, the rain -- the wind scattered everything around," Bradley said. "So I'm out collecting bottles and cans just to come up with gas money, so we can run a generator."

The Coordinated (city-Deschutes County) Houseless Response Office will work with Deschutes County Behavioral Health and other entities to aid the houseless in the Hunnell Road area.

In conjunction with the Hunnell Road clearing, Coordinated Houseless Response Office Director Cheyenne Purrington said they're piloting an "instant response model."

"The hope is that individuals who are already engaged with service providers will be receptive to shelter options and housing options," Purrington said. "Our goal is to facilitate barrier removal, If someone needs an RV moved (or) if they need a repair on a vehicle. Someone may request to enter into a rehab facility."

As for Bradley, he's uncertain of what the future will hold for him and his fiancé and others living in the area, he said wants to remind the community that being homeless does not mean people deserve less respect.

"We're no different. Don't look at like we're strangers from some other country. We're neighbors ... (and) we're not all drug addicts out here." Bradley said.

Since mid-2020, the city said the number and locations of camps in the area have varied, with a high of around 100 campsites. More recent counts show about 65 campsites are in the North Hunnell Road area.

The assessment was driven, in part, due to Oregon Department of Transportation and Deschutes County road construction projects in the area planned for early next year, which "are anticipated to increase conflicts and safety concerns because the area will be used for heavy construction traffic," the news release stated.

"The city intends to close the area and require camp removal prior to construction," it continued. "Closures and removals will follow all requirements of state law, including all required notices, storage of personal property and notification of service providers to support those who are survival sheltering in the area."

Between now and March, the city said it will work with the new Coordinated Homeless Response Office, Deschutes County Behavioral Health and other entities that can provide services and relocation assistance to people camping along Hunnell Road.

The Coordinated Homeless Response Office will lead efforts by social services, nonprofits and public agencies to work with unhoused individuals living in the area to determine their service needs, and provide case management and resources, with a focus on providing shelter and housing options to each person.

The city said the outreach and service provider presence in the area is expected to begin in January and continue through March.

To increase the availability of places people can go, the city recently updated its codes to allow private or nonprofit entities to provide temporary and permanent shelters in Bend and places for people to park safely overnight. It also has disbursed funding for the development of affordable housing and shelter beds.

"Additionally, the city intends to contract with Shepherd’s House to offer up to 32 additional shelter beds at the Franklin Avenue Shelter, beginning in March, which would be an extension of the Navigation Center program and services, including case management," the statement concluded.