Ground-breaking ceremony held for Oasis Village transitional shelter community in Redmond

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Dozens of elected and community leaders attended Tuesday's groundbreaking of the Oasis Village transitional housing community on Highway 126 just east of Redmond.

The event was hosted by Oasis Village, Hayden Homes and Simplicity by Hayden Homes.

When complete, Oasis Village will house 20 adult residents in 15 100-square-foot “bedroom shelters” and include a community building, pet area, community garden and RV/trailer storage area.

Construction on the three-acre transitional housing village will soon be underway and the first residents will be welcomed by the end of this year. Project leaders plan to expand to 30 bedroom shelters within two years.

Construction of Oasis Village is made possible through innovative public-private partnerships between businesses, government and local organizations.

“Oasis Village is only possible through community support and the collaborative efforts of several organizations, Hayden Homes and government partners,” said Bob Bohac, president of Oasis Village. “Everyone coming together is what allows us to create a bridge for our unhoused neighbors–a bridge that helps them transition from houseless camps to stable housing and income opportunity.”

Key partners were recognized during the groundbreaking event.

• City of Redmond supported and assisted with state grant applications resulting in the awarding of $975,000 for the construction of Oasis Village.
• Deschutes County Commissioners made approximately 12 acres of land available in east Redmond for Oasis Village and other projects assisting the unhoused. The county also awarded $367,500 in Federal ARPA funds to Oasis Village.
• Hayden Homes and Simplicity by Hayden Homes are working together to play a pivotal role through advocacy for Oasis Village and project management expertise gained from building successful transitional housing projects including Veterans Village and St. Vincent’s Place in Bend.
• H.A. McCoy Engineering and Survey provided invaluable support on site plan development and surveying.
• Heart of Oregon Corps recruited, trained and hired local youth to construct some of the bedroom shelters.
• Redmond High School CTE students built multiple sleeping units for the village.
• Rotary Club of Redmond provided the initial $10,000 for Oasis Village to construct the first bedroom shelter and has been a vocal supporter of the housing project.

Oasis Village is designed to fill a gap in services for the unhoused in Central Oregon. By providing immediate, low-barrier access to shelters, unhoused residents can move from tents, makeshift shelters and RVs to a transitional shelter at Oasis Village. From there, they can make progress towards housing stability and access permanent housing options.

The adult-only community setting will encourage accountability and progress. Each bedroom shelter will house one to two residents and pets are welcome. A community building with meeting space will house showers, restrooms, laundry and kitchen facilities. Internet service, mailboxes and storage for RVs will also be provided on-site.

Fundraising for the construction of Oasis Village began in 2020 and received a major boost when the organization was granted the $975,000 in emergency state funding via Governor Tina Kotek’s office for Multi-Agency Coordinating groups earlier this year. Another $50,000 has been donated by community members and is being used to construct the bedroom shelters.

“Collaborative projects like Oasis Village are bringing together government, private builders and community partners, resulting in getting housing built for our houseless neighbors,” said Deb Flagan, vice president of community engagement with Hayden Homes. “At Hayden Homes, we’re committed to our Give As You Go™ philosophy and are so grateful to be able to live out that mission in our hometown of Redmond.”

About Oasis Village

Oasis Village will offer sustainable, community-based, transitional shelter in a village setting. Oasis Village's “bedroom shelters” will provide unhoused neighbors in Redmond with security and stability along with access to health and social services as they build their individual paths toward stable housing. In partnership with its community, Oasis Village works to build a Redmond where every person has a path to stable housing.

Oasis Village’s non-congregate, low-barrier shelter is a vital link in the chain of services dedicated to ending chronic homelessness in Redmond and Central Oregon. Working with local partners, governments, and compassionate volunteers, Oasis Village seeks to build a community where everyone has a path to achieve and maintain safe, affordable housing, and the opportunity to thrive.