REDMOND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners will consider extending the lease for a Safe Parking site at the county-owned lot in Southeast Redmond, off Highway 126 for another two years.

Rick Russell from Mountain View Community Development told commissioners Wednesday 96 people live in 28 RV-parking spaces around the city, “We have staff who are visiting sites, I wouldn't say every site every day, but multiple times per week. And with volunteers there, there's an on-site presence, pretty much every day. And then it's to not just provide a place for people to be, but to provide a path out.”

The county owned property has five spaces occupied. “We saw no increased calls to law enforcement... We just went through a pretty significant weather and ice event. Everybody was fine. There was a real concern about that property and how we'll be accessible in snow, you know, 12 inches of snow and, everybody was able to access it, it was safe,” Russell said.

The program has an 85% success rate in finding more-permanent housing. “Heather” talked to County Commissioners about her successful transition from safe parking into permanent housing, “With safe parking, having a case manager and having someone to go to for the resources and to help you with a hand up instead of a hand out to move forward was the best thing for us. We're very grateful and thankful for safe parking. I still help out as much as I can with volunteering at the church or anything I can do with safe parking.”

Commissioners were also asked to consider helping to identify additional property to add 12 new Safe Parking spaces.

The proposed lease extension will be made official at an upcoming meeting.

Photo: Mountain View Community Development file