BEND, OR -- Two large encampments on the north end of Bend will soon be cleared, as city and county officials work to contain what they say are growing health and safety concerns.
"With the closure of Hunnell Road and Juniper Ridge, that’s going to create displacement for a significant amount of people experiencing homelessness," says Dave Notari, Director of Outreach for Shepherd's House Ministries. He tells KBND News teams are trying to build trust with campers so they'll accept help and potentially a bed at a shelter. "There’s a lot of angst around this recent announcement for that community. There’s a lot of people not sure what they’re going to do; they’re worried," he says, "They’re worried for their belongings, they’re worried for their safety and their health. Now, some would argue it’s not a very healthy environment, and that’s probably true. But, to the degree that they’re able to make sense of their world there, it’s still a very disruptive experience for them."
Shepherd's House manages several shelters in Bend and Redmond, and Notari says other providers are also preparing for an influx. "We don’t know exactly how many of those people will end up coming to us for help. We know some will," says Notari, "Keep in mind, there’s a good portion of those living in those tent environments who are really not interested in accessing services like shelters, services that we offer. And so, we anticipate some will, out of just need and potentially desperation. But many won’t and they’ll relocate to other places." He adds, "We are preparing to have what we need to be able to help those people transition, whether it’s giving them assistance to move their things or actually creating a shelter bed for them."
Hunnell Road will close July 17th. The county's timeline for taking code enforcement action at Juniper Ridge remains unclear. "Our posture is, ‘hey, we want to just be caring and loving and do what we can within our capacity,' even though we know the majority of those people won’t come to our shelter."
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