BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners are sending another $53,000 to help Veterans Village renovate its community building.

On Wednesday, they got an update on work at the northwest Bend shelter from Erik Tobiason of the Bend Heroes Foundation. “The scope was to add seven cabins to expand on the 15 that we had. So, increase the capacity by about 50% which will require increasing the utilities and the services in the community building...increasing the parking, which is a big deal,” Tobiason said the new cabins should be ready for occupancy next month.

However, the volunteer-run organization encountered a funding gap while remodeling the community building. “We can continue to raise money through the private community. Everyone in this town and, and region is a supporter of the project. Like I said, we will be successful, we will finish the community building,” Tobiason told the board in his presentation asking for the additional $53,000 grant.

Bend Heroes Foundation was originally going to repay the county in exchange for the Bend Parks and Rec district waiving System Development Charges. 

Commissioner Phil Chang joined Patti Adair in support of the additional money, “I’m really excited about what Veterans Village has accomplished and the addition of these seven units and the future or the near future improvements to the community building,” Chang said.

Total grant fund spending on the project is now over $500,000. 

Commissioner Tony DeBone voted against the new grant, “This is a big commitment. We put a lot of resources in there and I'm so happy that those cabins are there. But seeing this come up on the agenda, I was kind of shocked…pretty bold request.”

Debone believes the foundation could have found help from private donors. 

Photo: centraloregonveteransvillage.org