‘It really takes a toll on you’: Houseless along China Hat Road trying to prepare for another cold, snowy winter
(Update: Adding full video, comments by homeless people along China Hat Road)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Homeless people living in Bend are preparing as best they can as temperatures drop and snow is building in the mountains. Those living along China Hat Road south of town are expecting another difficult winter, and the weather-related dangers are ever-present.
To stay warm, many use tarps and sleeping bags for insulation. Area nonprofits have provided blankets and space heaters to some living on the streets, but the dangers of highly flammable materials and propane tanks have caused devastating issues.
"It really takes a toll on you," Lisa Collins said. "It took a tremendous toll on me. You're still not prepared, "
Collins and Brooke Lynn say the winters on China Hat Road are difficult.
"They're pretty rough. If we live out here, we have to walk back and forth - we don't have a vehicle just to provide propane. That keeps our heat for the winter," said Lynn.
She has been preparing for this winter season since June, stocking up on extra clothes and propane.
"It's beyond difficult to make it year-round out here," she said. "The resources, they drop in the winter because they can't make it out here, and the road gets treacherous because they don't plow past the golf course."
The few resources they have can also create a hazard.
Last year, a homeless woman died after being injured in a fire - she'd been using a space heater in a makeshift shelter off China Hat Road.
Housed residents have also voiced concern about space heaters and propane at homeless camps, saying they can start wildfires, a growing concern in Central Oregon.
"There's a good group of homeless people out here in China Hat," said Lynn. "A very good group of homeless people that the news, or anybody in Bend does not see. We're just trying to survive, and we all try to stick together. "
But it's not just the cold Collins says they need to worry about.
"It's a mix of really good people out here who work and are good," she said. "And then there's the really dark, evil drug-dealing freaks out here that make life - they'll burn down your camp. "
The pair lost a close friend earlier this week after he moved from China Hat to the streets of Bend. They say he was not prepared for the cold, although a cause of death has not been determined
"The bad element out here is making it impossible for people to live in the harsh environment, and the criminal element," Collins said. "And they ran Tracy out. And he would be okay today."
 We reached out to the Deschutes and Crook counties' medical examiner about the cause of death of the pair's friend and were told no information could be shared due to the ongoing investigation and to protect the family's privacy. We have since filed a notice for any releasable information through the Freedom of Information Act.
