REDMOND, OR -- Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council is considering bringing Deschutes County's Coordinated Houseless Response Office under their operational umbrella.

COIC Executive Director Tammy Baney told KBND News the regional council of governments would help the nearly one-year-old office meet its goals, “They will remain their own autonomous organization, meaning that they will have their own governing board, which is the current board. They will have their own bylaws, they will have their own budget, and we will provide the support staff that will help them to achieve their strategic plan,”

Baney says COIC staff it would help provide better overall regional planning, “They would be working with strategies such as identifying resources, aligning current service provider efforts, working with the elected governments to determine what it is that they can be seeking in terms of additional funding or budgeting for.”

Baney says it’s a partnership that makes sense, “What we're trying to do is align efforts among many of these organizations, and the CHRO office included, in achieving very similar, if not the same goals, which is, how do we get ahead of this crisis? How do we make a meaningful impact in the shortest amount of time while not duplicating efforts?”

An intergovernmental agreement would be formed if the COIC board approves the plan for bringing in the Houseless Response Office.