Bend housing leaders brace for tighter funding, shelter changes

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend housing leaders are preparing for a tougher road ahead as funding for local shelter and housing services continues to shrink.

At Tuesday’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meeting, city staff are expected to walk through shelter planning strategies tied to the city’s changing role in addressing houselessness, along with the possible impact of cuts to state and federal dollars.

The conversation comes as Bend also looks ahead to the planned closure of the Temporary Safe Stay Area by June 30, 2027, and the loss of 70 beds at the Franklin Avenue Shelter.

The committee is also expected to discuss affordable housing funding, surplus land and Community Development Block Grant accomplishments and challenges, including how the city may identify property in Juniper Ridge that could be eligible for affordable housing.

For families and people experiencing houselessness in Central Oregon, the stakes could be high. City officials have said state funding is not keeping pace with local need, and the potential gap could make it harder to preserve shelter options and respond to future demand.

KTVZ’s Tracee Tuesday will have more on what this means for Bend and the local housing system tonight at 6 on KTVZ News on our local NBC affiliate.