City of Bend Home City Directory News Jobs Pay Online Council Meetings GO SERVICES COMMUNITY BUSINESS GOVERNMENT VISITOR CITY PROJECTS Houselessness - Emergency Shelter Siting Outdoor Shelter Project Turnkey Safe Parking Program Shelter Code Changes Sounding Board City Projects » Community Priorities Supporting Houselessness Solutions Print Feedback Share & Bookmark Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option Font Size: + - There are nearly 1,000 people who are experiencing houselessness in Central Oregon on any given night. This number includes families with children and youth who do not live with an adult. (Learn more in Central Oregon Houselessness Facts & Figures.) The City of Bend is working with public agencies and community partners to support solutions for our houseless community members. This includes finding ways to keep people in their homes, provide temporary transitional housing, and increase the availability of affordable housing. We work to: Keep People in Housing Provide Temporary Transitional Housing Increase Affordable Housing WHAT ABOUT HOUSELESS CAMPS? The City does not currently prohibit camping on City roads or rights-of-way. Additionally, the City does not have the legal ability to fine or sanction people for sleeping on public property unless there are other locations available for people to sleep. It will take time to provide more shelter and safe camping options for unhoused community members in Bend. As we work with other public agencies and community partners to provide more shelter options, we are also working together to manage the City’s roads and public lands within our legal limitations and in ways that respect unhoused community members and promote community safety. The City of Bend is part of a Public Agency Land Management Collaborative. Through this collaboration, public agencies and the Homeless Leadership Coalition meet to discuss and communicate their response to individuals experiencing houselessness who are staying on public lands. The collaborative also works together on property management plans. Learn more about this work below: Caring for People First How Property Management Works Information and Referrals Information and referrals are best provided by trusted social service agencies as well as Bend Police Department's Community Outreach Officer and/or Crisis Response Team. This is why the City works closely with local service providers to connect people experiencing houselessness to the resources they need. HOW WE SUPPORT HOUSELESSNESS SOLUTIONS The City of Bend is working to address houselessness and housing insecurity by supporting the delivery of services and housing options to those who are unhoused or at risk of becoming houseless. But we can't do it alone. It will take collaboration and community support to better respond to houselessness in our community. Learn more below: Emergency Homelessness Task Force - Collaboration Sounding Board to House Our Neighbors - Proposed Code Changes NEWS Bend City Council Houselessness Update 11/17/21 Message from Councilor Megan Perkins: 11/17/2021 9:03:43 PM Bend City Council Houselessness Update 10/20/21 Message from Mayor ProTem Gena Goodman Campbell 10/20/2021 9:06:02 PM Proposed code changes would allow shelters in most zoning districts New webpage offers information and opportunity for input. 10/11/2021 9:51:41 AM Outdoor Shelter Update: 5 Things to Know The City of Bend is looking into possible locations for temporary outdoor shelters for unhoused community members in Bend. 9/7/2021 10:17:12 AM Joint Meeting: Board of County Commissioners and City of Bend The City of Bend and Deschutes County met on Thursday, September 2, 2021 re: Housing and Homelessness Updates and Strategies, and Other Topics. Watch a video replay . . . 9/3/2021 10:00:00 AM More » ENOTIFICATION SIGNUP Want to get news on the City's efforts to support houselessness solutions delivered straight to your email inbox? To sign up, enter your contact information below, click on the envelope under "Homelessness," then click "SUBMIT." SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to receive updates. Email SMS/Text Message Current Weather 710 NW Wall St. Bend, OR 97703 24° Get In Touch City Administration (541) 388-5505 Utility Billing (541) 388-5515 Community Development (541) 388-5580 Stay Informed Calendar News Communications & Media City Council BendHub Employee Login Website Design by Granicus - Connecting People and Government Accessibility Assistance