LATEST UPDATE (03/29/2024): Based on news reports (Bend Bulletin | KTVZ | Central Oregon Daily), it appears that Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted 2 - 1 on Wednesday March 27, to cancel the contract the county had with Free On The Outside to run a shelter for adult male parolees on SE Wilson Ave. in Bend. As a result, it appears the property will be sold or re-purposed. Commissioners Adair and DeBone voted to end the contract and close this shelter; Commissioner Chang voted against. We await an official announcement from the county.
What appears below is an archived version of the information EastsideVotes.org provided January --> March, 2024. Some links may no longer work. The county's FAQ on the program, for instance, was taken down.
PREVIOUS UPDATE: At the March 20th BOCC meeting, Commissioners voted 2 - 1 to direct staff to look for an alternate location for the sex offender-centric shelter at 640 SE Wilson Ave, on the east side of Bend. Thank you Commissioners Adair and DeBone for listening to residents and voting for making a change. Commissioner Chang voted against this motion.
As we've shown elsewhere, the targeted property is in a traditionally under-served, under-represented, and lower-income neighborhood on the close-in east side of Bend. Throughout 2023, the Board of County Commissioners signed off on various steps needed to place this shelter in this 100% residential neighborhood that is already swimming in other shelter facilities. Among others, the steps included the following (all gleaned from the public record of county meetings and from this FAQ by the county):
- The initial grant proposal from Adult Parole and Probation which specifically calls out providing housing for adult males on parole who have restrictions about where they can live. Many are sex offenders, including Level 2 & 3.
- The sub-recipient agreement between COIC and Adult Parole and Probation that requires the shelter to be a "low barrier" shelter.
- The selection of FreeOnTheOutside.org as the county's selected service provider for this shelter.
- The 45 minutes of "outreach" reportedly performed to neighboring properties on 11/27/23 by FreeOnTheOutside.org.
- The purchase agreement and the clause in the deed that gives the Wilson Ave property free and clear, with no further restrictions, to FreeOnTheOutside.org after 10 years.
A neighbor has spent considerable time piecing together what happened during BOCC meetings leading up to the placement of the county's shelter at 640 SE Wilson Ave. We continue to dig in to all available materials to make the public aware of what is going on with our tax dollars. Here are some noteworthy events during Board of County Commission meetings:
08/23/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link: (1,000 ft park separation discussed at 40:00)
Consideration of Board Approval to issue document #2023-751 Deschutes County Community Justice Department Request for Proposals for New Shelter and Housing Units for Male Justice Involved Individuals. - 00:31:00
10/25/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link (Starts at 00:45:14):
Intent to Award for Deschutes County Community Justice Department RFP 2023-751 New Shelter and Housing Units for Male Justice Involved Individuals - 00:45:14
12/6/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link (starts at 1:21:50):
Consideration of Board Approval to Purchase Property located at 640-652 SE Wilson Ave., Bend, Oregon 97702 and if approved Board Signature on Order No. 2023-055 designating an authorized representative to sign closing documents on behalf of Deschutes County.
12/13/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link (starts at 00:04:22):
Consideration of and Board Approval and Signature on Deschutes County Grant Agreement 2023-1031. This is a grant agreement for the purchase and operation of new shelter and housing units for male justice-involved individuals on supervision with Deschutes County Parole and Probation
There's no mention of housing sex offenders within 1,000' of two Bend Parks and Recreation Facilities, and within 60 yards of the homes of 12 children, but we do get these comments from Commissioners:
Commissioner Chang: "I think it would be great to gather a little bit more about those projects [speaking about other sober/transitional housing in Bend] ... and to be able to share that with neighbors of this facility so that they just have a better understanding of what, you know, ... who their neighbors might be. Also, I would encourage anyone from that neighborhood who has concerns to contact the community justice department to talk out in greater detail the supervision framework for these justice involved individuals..."
Question: As taxpayers, we expect our government to perform outreach to us when they have a plan to burden our neighborhood with a facility that has such great potential for negative impact. It seems rather audacious for an elected official to suggest it should be the other way around. After all, we're the ones footing the bill - we deserve better representation than this! What's going on here?
Commissioner DeBone: "...really a positive situation, I know it's scary and awkward, but this is really going to be the grounding place to really blossom new positive things ... This is something to celebrate in our community"
Question: Would we get similar comments from Deschutes County Commissioners if this facility were proposed near their own neighborhoods?
08/23/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link: (1,000 ft park separation discussed at 40:00)
Consideration of Board Approval to issue document #2023-751 Deschutes County Community Justice Department Request for Proposals for New Shelter and Housing Units for Male Justice Involved Individuals. - 00:31:00
10/25/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link (Starts at 00:45:14):
Intent to Award for Deschutes County Community Justice Department RFP 2023-751 New Shelter and Housing Units for Male Justice Involved Individuals - 00:45:14
12/6/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link (starts at 1:21:50):
Consideration of Board Approval to Purchase Property located at 640-652 SE Wilson Ave., Bend, Oregon 97702 and if approved Board Signature on Order No. 2023-055 designating an authorized representative to sign closing documents on behalf of Deschutes County.
12/13/2023 BOCC Meeting Video Link (starts at 00:04:22):
Consideration of and Board Approval and Signature on Deschutes County Grant Agreement 2023-1031. This is a grant agreement for the purchase and operation of new shelter and housing units for male justice-involved individuals on supervision with Deschutes County Parole and Probation
There's no mention of housing sex offenders within 1,000' of two Bend Parks and Recreation Facilities, and within 60 yards of the homes of 12 children, but we do get these comments from Commissioners:
Commissioner Chang: "I think it would be great to gather a little bit more about those projects [speaking about other sober/transitional housing in Bend] ... and to be able to share that with neighbors of this facility so that they just have a better understanding of what, you know, ... who their neighbors might be. Also, I would encourage anyone from that neighborhood who has concerns to contact the community justice department to talk out in greater detail the supervision framework for these justice involved individuals..."
Question: As taxpayers, we expect our government to perform outreach to us when they have a plan to burden our neighborhood with a facility that has such great potential for negative impact. It seems rather audacious for an elected official to suggest it should be the other way around. After all, we're the ones footing the bill - we deserve better representation than this! What's going on here?
Commissioner DeBone: "...really a positive situation, I know it's scary and awkward, but this is really going to be the grounding place to really blossom new positive things ... This is something to celebrate in our community"
Question: Would we get similar comments from Deschutes County Commissioners if this facility were proposed near their own neighborhoods?
Are you a taxpayer? What do you think?
You can make public records request to Deschutes County here.
You can find contact information for all three Deschutes County Commissioners here.
If you want to help stop this shelter from taking root in Larkspur, please consider taking a moment to sign a Change.Org petition.
You can make public records request to Deschutes County here.
You can find contact information for all three Deschutes County Commissioners here.
If you want to help stop this shelter from taking root in Larkspur, please consider taking a moment to sign a Change.Org petition.