La Pine, Deschutes County officials talk RV/campground study, new affordable housing projects
La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A joint meeting was held Wednesday night between Deschutes County commissioners and the La Pine City Council.
Among the issues discussed was the County Camping Feasibility Study update.
Three areas in the county were considered for private or public RV parks and campgrounds: Fort Thompson Road, Crooked River Ranch and Drafter Road. Drafter Road appeared to be the most promising option for recreation.
However, Patrick Trowbridge, owner of Vic’s Bar & Grill in La Pine, said the city should focus its efforts on supplying the community with more permanent housing: “There's a portion of the community that's getting passed by the current curve, where they can't afford to live in a manufactured home, or a new manufactured home in a park, and apartments just cost way too much money. Like a guy that cooks for us at Vic's, or a guy that works at Mc Donald's, and they don't have a family; they're single, they can't afford an apartment, they can't afford a manufactured home, but they can afford to live in their RV that they own in a stable RV space.”
Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang weighed in: “We also heard about several other affordable housing projects that are in the works in the pipeline. A 59–unit apartment building, kind of led by a company named Danco from Humboldt County. The county has been working on transferring, selling and donating a portion of five acres to Habitat for Humanity to do, I believe it's a 34–unit, multi-family housing townhouses.”
The Camping Feasibility Study which includes housing projects, has been finalized and will be presented to the county commissioners on Monday, November 13th.
