If Bend wants homeless people to not be homeless, that takes effort. It takes access to medical care, food and services to help them find more permanent housing.
A critical step in doing that successfully is transitional housing. And the city doesn’t have enough. This week the Bend City Council is scheduled to vote on a “safe parking” plan to allow more. It would essentially permit parking lots or other spaces to function as homeless camps — with restrictions.
The plan would allow temporary camping for people if they cannot find permanent shelter elsewhere. Up to six vehicles or moveable shelters such as tents would be allowed with permission of the property owner or lessee. The city could specifically allow more than six. There are requirements for sanitation facilities and more, such as providing notice to neighbors. The proposed code is much more detailed (it is available on the city’s website under the council’s Wednesday agenda).
This is not completely new for Bend. There are already two locations in Bend operating in a similar manner under COVID-19 emergency orders. But if councilors approve the change, it seems likely that more locations would provide transitional housing.
Expect some bumps. At the very least, neighbors or neighborhoods may complain if a nearby lot is used. The notification requirement is only for immediate neighbors, not to neighborhood associations. The city prides itself on using neighborhood associations to gather feedback and share information. Why not require that neighborhood associations be notified? Or is that excessive?
The city did put some teeth in its ordinance in case it had problems with a location or with individual campers. It included enforcement power to allow it to prohibit such transitional housing on any property if it constitutes a nuisance or other threat to public welfare. A property owner can revoke permission at any time and any person “must leave the property immediately after permission has been revoked.” The proposal also includes giving the city the power to revoke permission for an individual if the city “has a reasonable suspicion that the person has violated any applicable law, ordinance, rule, guideline or agreement, or that the activity constitutes a nuisance or other threat to the public welfare.” Implementing any such enforcement action could get tricky.
It seems likely this council will approve this policy or something very close to it. If you would like to influence it, let councilors know before their meeting Wednesday. You can reach them at council@bendoregon.gov.
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