BEND, OR -- Bend city councilors received feedback this week on a draft of a code to regulate homeless individuals camping on public rights of way and city-owned property.

Questions ranged from enforcing the code to where homeless individuals can get services like access to bathroom facilities.  

“I feel like we need to establish where those safe places are. How do we build that infrastructure where people can have that dignity. It’s not like you all have to go one place. We all have to get to make some choices in our life. And houselessness shouldn’t take that choice away from you,” said Mayor Gena Goodman-Campbell who also addressed the question about individuals who do not have the funds to pay for a citation, “If somebody gets to that point of having a citation that could include some sort of program to help people access that service and support their need. It's challenging because obviously we want those services to continue to be voluntary. We’re really open to unique ideas from others how we could look at alternatives to a citation”.

Participants included public agencies, business groups, nonprofits, community members, and people experiencing houselessness.
The information from these roundtables will be used to address current code structure.