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What appears below is an archived version of the information EastsideVotes.org provided January --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.
45 minutes of door to door, English language only "outreach" on a single day...
Below is the only documentation provided by Deschutes County Community Justice to support claims of any public outreach leading up to the placement of this shelter in the Larkspur Neighborhood on the east side of Bend. This was confirmed via email on 01/18/2024 by Director Holcomb, Deschutes County Community Justice. This is the documentation created by the private contractor the county has selected to run its proposed shelter for male parolees, including sex offenders. Doesn't the neighborhood deserve better than this from Deschutes County Government and its private contractor? How is this being signed off on and allowed by Deschutes County Commissioners and the State of Oregon when a grant of over $1 million in taxpayer money is involved? Do we all deserve better than this. Community Justice - FOR WHO?
The second document is a tabulation by a neighbor of this exact same outreach data. Note that many of the neighbors alleged to have been contacted dispute what the county's selected private contractor has submitted for their addresses. Many say that they received neither a visit nor a flyer. How can this be? These residents are the very ones paying taxes that provide the money for this facility. Do we not all deserve better than the county's selected private contractor, FreeOnTheOutside.org?
The second document is a tabulation by a neighbor of this exact same outreach data. Note that many of the neighbors alleged to have been contacted dispute what the county's selected private contractor has submitted for their addresses. Many say that they received neither a visit nor a flyer. How can this be? These residents are the very ones paying taxes that provide the money for this facility. Do we not all deserve better than the county's selected private contractor, FreeOnTheOutside.org?
Here's the tabulated data put together by the neighborhood.
It's sad that this is the best our government can do when it attempts to utilize over $1 million in taxpayer money. Will there be any accountability to contractor for the discrepancies found in their reporting?
Below we see the flyer that the county's private contractor provided to neighbors on 11/27/2023. Please note that there is no mention of Level 2 & 3 Sex Offenders on parole. Instead, we see use of the phrase "...create housing for men who have involvement with the justice system." Do you think this is an adequate level of detail to provide regarding a placement of a facility that has potential to have such a negative impact on neighbors and the neighborhood?
Residents of the neighborhood and many others have serious concerns. A change.org petition has gathered over 1,200 signatures in opposition to this shelter. There are many compelling comments there against this intrusion into our neighborhood. Deschutes County and City of Bend decision makers: Please Read! If City of Bend and Deschutes County had proper and appropriate public notice and public input policies in place for placing a probation and parole facility in the middle of a residential neighborhood, we would not have to go to such extensive measures to make our voices heard. Please relocate this facility now.
Above is a cartoon submitted 02/01/2024 by a Larkspur Neighbor. Below is a comment from an adjacent neighbor and it's absolutely heartbreaking. This was sent to Director Holcomb of Deschutes County Community Justice, and all three Deschutes County Commissioners on January 29, 2024.
Good Morning,
I am honestly shocked this housing nightmare is still an on going discussion. After I had emailed Phil Chang and I believe two of the other commissioners, and received his disregarding and honestly hurtful response I was going to just walk away from this. This situation has put on so much stress to my family. I’m not sure Deevy if you know, but I am a single mother to two absolutely stunningly beautiful daughters. This triplex that apparently is a great location to house level two and three sex offenders is right next door to the triplex I live in. The unit stairs into my backyard. The backyard I am killing myself to pay for to provide a semi-nice life for my children. That is completely just stripped and taken away from me, we will never be able to play in the backyard again. You are wanting to run through 40 to 50 different men level two and three sex offenders who have ruined someone’s life. I am utterly shocked and disgusted. You find that to be a good idea to put around a community with families and children??
My days will now be spent wonder, are those men going be knowing when I’m coming and going?! Are they watching if I have both my kids? Do I not have my oldest daughter, is she home alone because she’s old enough and can be? Well I guess that doesn’t matter she will no longer feel comfortable to ever stay home alone again. You have just stripped any amount of safety that we have felt in this home. Phil Chang’s response about “having them next-door or not, my neighborhood will not be any safer” is the biggest lie I have ever heard. Is that what you tell yourselves to sleep better at night? How would you feel if this was going right next-door to you with your young children? How can you sit back and tell me putting up to 50 different men cycling through that house each year is not changing the safety dynamic of the neighborhood.. I have now up to 50 different men with eyes on both me and my daughters. YOU are choosing to put up to 50 different men running through that house each year that can now daily see my children.
As I’m reading through this lovely FAQ link, there’s a statement in there and I quote
“Additionally, if individuals are not able to agree to house rules this property will not be an option for them.”
These are sex offenders… They DID NOT feel the need to follow any rules, any laws, they did not care about the person that they were victimizing. But now it’s suppose to make us feel better that they are going to sign some paper with “rules” they have to abide to because all of a sudden they’re a completely changed person. Utterly so shocked and so disappointed in our system that instead of fighting for the protection of all of these innocent children, you are fighting to make sex offenders feel better and give them the comfort and second chance that they deserve. These are grown men, adults, they knew exactly what they were doing and chose to do it, knowing the consequences. How you are not fighting to keep these men as far away from children, parks, schools, a baseball field loaded with families and children will forever blow my mind.
Go put them across from the sheriff station. Go do anything else other than make an entire community turn upside down. DO BETTER DESCHUTES COUNTY.
[ Signed,
J. M. ]
I am honestly shocked this housing nightmare is still an on going discussion. After I had emailed Phil Chang and I believe two of the other commissioners, and received his disregarding and honestly hurtful response I was going to just walk away from this. This situation has put on so much stress to my family. I’m not sure Deevy if you know, but I am a single mother to two absolutely stunningly beautiful daughters. This triplex that apparently is a great location to house level two and three sex offenders is right next door to the triplex I live in. The unit stairs into my backyard. The backyard I am killing myself to pay for to provide a semi-nice life for my children. That is completely just stripped and taken away from me, we will never be able to play in the backyard again. You are wanting to run through 40 to 50 different men level two and three sex offenders who have ruined someone’s life. I am utterly shocked and disgusted. You find that to be a good idea to put around a community with families and children??
My days will now be spent wonder, are those men going be knowing when I’m coming and going?! Are they watching if I have both my kids? Do I not have my oldest daughter, is she home alone because she’s old enough and can be? Well I guess that doesn’t matter she will no longer feel comfortable to ever stay home alone again. You have just stripped any amount of safety that we have felt in this home. Phil Chang’s response about “having them next-door or not, my neighborhood will not be any safer” is the biggest lie I have ever heard. Is that what you tell yourselves to sleep better at night? How would you feel if this was going right next-door to you with your young children? How can you sit back and tell me putting up to 50 different men cycling through that house each year is not changing the safety dynamic of the neighborhood.. I have now up to 50 different men with eyes on both me and my daughters. YOU are choosing to put up to 50 different men running through that house each year that can now daily see my children.
As I’m reading through this lovely FAQ link, there’s a statement in there and I quote
“Additionally, if individuals are not able to agree to house rules this property will not be an option for them.”
These are sex offenders… They DID NOT feel the need to follow any rules, any laws, they did not care about the person that they were victimizing. But now it’s suppose to make us feel better that they are going to sign some paper with “rules” they have to abide to because all of a sudden they’re a completely changed person. Utterly so shocked and so disappointed in our system that instead of fighting for the protection of all of these innocent children, you are fighting to make sex offenders feel better and give them the comfort and second chance that they deserve. These are grown men, adults, they knew exactly what they were doing and chose to do it, knowing the consequences. How you are not fighting to keep these men as far away from children, parks, schools, a baseball field loaded with families and children will forever blow my mind.
Go put them across from the sheriff station. Go do anything else other than make an entire community turn upside down. DO BETTER DESCHUTES COUNTY.
[ Signed,
J. M. ]
This facility must be relocated immediately. Community Justice for Larkspur Neighborhood NOW.