Bend transitional shelter St. Vincent’s Place seeks sponsors as it hunts for housing for graduates

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – St. Vincent’s Place, a just over year-old transitional shelter in Bend, is seeking sponsors while also facing a struggle familiar to many in the region – finding affordable housing for its graduates.

So far, the shelter has graduated two residents, with another three on standby, waiting for housing availability.

The shelter offers 10 sleeping units and a community building with bathrooms, showers, laundry and a kitchen.

To graduate, residents need to abide by the rules, find employment and save up about $5,000. The shelter adds another $3,000 to go toward housing.

“Everything pretty much went the way we thought it would, and hoped it would,” Executive Director Gary Hewitt said.

“Housing has become more of an issue,” he added. “I had thought that St. Vincent de Paul could possibly purchase a new home to rent rooms out of. But when interest rates started going up, that didn’t seem very feasible any more. So right now, it’s housing. That’s what we’re looking for, a place to put people graduating our program."

The graduating residents also face renter challenges due to having criminal records, or no rental history.

St. Vincent’s Place is looking for sponsorship for six of their units, at $5,000 a year, which will help pay for maintenance and upkeep. Hayden Homes Amphitheater is a major sponsor that has helped the shelter get up and running.