Phil Chang, business owner sound off after county vote to not move forward with S. Bend managed camp

(Update: Adding video, comments by Commissioner Phil Chang, business owner, Hunnell Road residents)

Commissioner who lost 2-1 vote feels 'blindsided'; business owner thanked other commissioners for move

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Deschutes County commissioner who lost in a 2-1 vote to withdraw from a controversial southern Bend managed camp said Thursday he will press on to make progress on the homeless issue, while an area businessman thanked the other two commissioners for backing out of the joint plans with the city of Bend.

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler blasted two Deschutes County commissioners Wednesday afternoon for voting earlier in the day to back out of last week’s agreement to collaborate on a managed safe parking site for medically fragile and other homeless on the city’s south end.

The decision surprised city officials and left plans for removing campers from Hunnell Road up in the air, as the planned camp was a key factor in delaying the process that was set to begin next week.

Commissioner Phil Chang, who voted against withdrawing from the project, told NewsChannel 21 Thursday, "So we made that commitment to the city of Bend about 10 days ago, then my fellow commissioners (Tony DeBone and Patti Adair) did an abrupt face change yesterday that I certainly didn't see coming."

"I was blindsided," Chang said.

After the 2-1 vote the two commissioners sent a letter to the city (see below), referring to the controversy that arose when neighbors of the city-owned property off Highway 97 and Murphy Road learned of the plans.

Chang said he doesn't have a specific place he'd want a camp, but won't give up on the idea.

"I don't have a specific place where I think that needs to happen," he said. "But until we can develop efficient low-income housing opportunities, until we can develop sufficient indoor shelter opportunities, we'll need managed camps somewhere as part of the solution."

He continued, "I can tell you what I'm interested in doing, but whether the Board of Commissioners and the county as a whole will move forward with that depends on a majority of the board."

Meanwhile, out on Hunnell Road, residents like Jerry, who declined to speak on camera, says he would use a supported camp, due to having lower-extremity issues.

Another Hunnell Road resident named Michael, who also did not want to be filmed, says Bend is a lot more helpful and understanding in helping the homeless, compared to his hometown of Eugene. But even with a supported camp, he would like to stay in his current tent on Hunnell Road.

Greg Farfaglia, the owner of Southside Pub in South Bend, thanked two of the county's commissioners for their votes.

"I first want to thank Patti Adair and Tony Debone for sticking up for the constituents in the community and the taxpayers, business owners and homeowners that unanimously oppose moving a homeless camp into our area," he said.

Farfaglia feels that such a camp in southern Bend would create more problems for his business, some he's already run into on multiple occasions.

"I've had folks defecating on my back door that I've had to clean up, stealing my bottles and cans, basically make a ruckus of things," he said. "We find needles in the landscaping all the time"

While the county's decision Wednesday doesn't guarantee a supported camp won't still happen at some point, for now, residents will stay put on Hunnell Road, even with ongoing road construction nearby

Chang says he's still open to many types of housing.

"I'm very open to setting up more housing, more shelter, more transitional housing, or managed camps, because we need places for people to go when we clear them from unauthorized camping locations," he said.

Southside Pub' Farfaglia wrapped up his interview with this comment: "You know, this is a great city that we've all chose to make our home. And for some reason, the homeless population seems to be driving the policy, instead of community livability and community standards we're all accustomed to."

On Wednesday afternoon, flanked by Mayor Pro Tem Megan Perkins and Councilor Anthony Broadman at a hastily called and live-streamed news conference in the Bend City Council chambers, Kebler read this prepared statement before answering questions:

"I am shocked and dismayed about today’s news that Deschutes County Commissioners, by a two to one vote, changed their minds about creating Safe Parking opportunity on property offered by the City on South Highway 97.

"The County abandoned this pilot project before it even began and has provided no alternate sites or concrete options for the short term solutions we know we need right now.

"This is incredibly disappointing. We have had multiple discussions with the County and the Coordinated Houseless Response Office - as elected leaders and staff - about solutions and where people could go. The City relied on information from the County in its decisions about Hunnell Road. We trusted they were our partners on this solution.

"We need more space for people to find shelter and to be safer and get out of unsanctioned unmanaged encampment situations. The status quo is not acceptable for anyone. The City provided concrete options – including land around the County - and money to manage it. County Commissioners agreed on this South Highway 97 land offered by the City as the best option. And Cheyenne Purrington, leader of the Coordinated Houseless Response Office, was deeply involved in explaining and supporting the idea.

"People who are living unsheltered are the people who are going to suffer because of the decision to abandon this collaboration. The safe parking opportunity we identified was designed to get vulnerable medically fragile people into a better situation so we can reduce unsanctioned camping and so they can get off the street. This was an opportunity for the County and City to lead together. Instead, Commissioners DeBone and Adair have abruptly taken this option away, without any attempt at discussion with their City leaders before abandoning this collaboration.

"This is not just a City issue. This is not just a County issue. This is a community issue. We need collaboration where everyone steps up together to help end homelessness. We’ve seen examples of where Counties and Cities don’t work together and we want to do things differently here. That’s why we have the Coordinated Houseless Response Office. That’s why we’ve been working so hard with our County leaders to find solutions. But it won’t work unless the County is a committed partner.

"I am disappointed, but we at the City are still committed to seeing this work through because it’s urgent. There are people living on the streets who need help.

"Today’s decision by the County Commission does not move us forward in this work; remember 80% of our houseless population are living unsheltered – that’s almost 1,000 people living outside in Deschutes County. That’s only going to continue until we find solutions and those require partnerships right now.

"We urge the Commissioners to reconsider this decision. Deschutes County Commissioners: Please provide basic public health services and case management that are an integral part of a solution in the work to end homelessness.

"Homelessness affects all of us. The status quo is unacceptable. Our community deserves more than broken promises. 

-Mayor Melanie Kebler"

Kebler told reporters no one at the city got a call before Wednesday’s decision, 10 days after commissioners voted to move forward with the project. She said they expected at Wednesday’s meeting for commissioners to work on a timeline and a request for information from service providers – “not a sudden, abrupt halt and yanking it off the table.”

The mayor said they had worked hard to leverage state and federal funds for such projects to help the homeless as the Lighthouse Navigation Center, and that the city cannot afford to do the project on it's own -- and in fact is looking at a shortfall on its efforts, without help from the state.

On Wednesday, after the 2-1 vote to reverse course on approval of the joint project they agreed to on March 6, commissioners sent a letter that referred to the controversy that arose when neighbors of the city-owned property off Highway 97 and Murphy Road learned of the plans.

Here is that letter: