La Pine-area homeless outreach groups prepare for struggles as China Hat Road closure looms
LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Homelessness looks different in and around all of cities across Deschutes County, officials say - especially in La Pine.
Outreach groups say they've long struggled to reach the homeless in the La Pine area, and as major homeless encampments in the county like along China Hat Road are closed, more homeless could be moving to the area.
The county says it's preparing.
"What we see from our perspective is a lot of folks that are from the community," said Colleen Thomas, supervisor of the county's homeless outreach services. "We see a lot of generational poverty as well. If they aren't able to access the limited resources that we do have, a lot of the folks may not be able to access some of the resources, including shelters or housing programs."
Deschutes County says the outreach team is currently trying to prevent campers from moving farther onto Forest Service land, preventing isolation, which could pose dangers for those with mental health issues.
The homeless have been at the center of wildfire prevention in La Pine following the Darlene 3 fire, where a viral video showed a burning camp at the center of the devastating blaze. The Forest Service has not confirmed the cause of that fire.
The Problem Solvers are continuing to investigate homelessness in La Pine for a full report later this month. Please reach out with any information for this story to problemsolvers@ktvz.com.
