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What appears below is an archived version of the information EastsideVotes.org provided January --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.
Do the requirements for a low barrier shelter permit what Deschutes County Community Justice is trying to establish in the Larkspur Neighborhood of east Bend ?
What is a low barrier shelter? It's defined in the image below.
Based on updates below (03/19 & 02/18), we don't know, and we welcome clarification from any level of government in Oregon, regarding if the "low barrier" shelter requirements for this grant money still need to be met.
03/19/2024 Update: Via a public records request to Deschutes County, a neighbor obtained an "Amendment to the Subrecipient Agreement grant between COIC (Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council) and Deschutes County Parole and Probation." These government entities appear to have retroactively found a way to modify the "low barrier" shelter requirement by adding this to the "Scope of Work". It's Item 1.a.: "Operation of a managed housing program that includes at least eight high barrier shelter beds (high barrier status was approved by COIC on January 22, 2024 based on actual operational plans and availability of funds for high barrier programming not available at time of original application) for male justice-involved individuals."
So, in 2023 we have COIC in receipt of over $13 million in taxpayer money earmarked by the State of Oregon specifically for "low barrier" shelters. Deschutes County Community Justice/Adult Parole and Probation asks for and receives over $1 million of this money for a "low barrier" shelter for adult male parolees, to include level 2 & 3 sex offenders. In November/December 2023, Deschutes County staff proceeds to use this money to buy a triplex on Wilson Ave, and it contracts with a private contractor to run the shelter with the specification that contractor supplies eight "low barrier" shelter beds. The deadline for utilization of the funds was 01/10/2024. Question: How can the source of the money be changed by COIC on January 22, 2024 to enable a switch to "high barrier" shelter beds, since this is after most of the money was already spent?
So, in 2023 we have COIC in receipt of over $13 million in taxpayer money earmarked by the State of Oregon specifically for "low barrier" shelters. Deschutes County Community Justice/Adult Parole and Probation asks for and receives over $1 million of this money for a "low barrier" shelter for adult male parolees, to include level 2 & 3 sex offenders. In November/December 2023, Deschutes County staff proceeds to use this money to buy a triplex on Wilson Ave, and it contracts with a private contractor to run the shelter with the specification that contractor supplies eight "low barrier" shelter beds. The deadline for utilization of the funds was 01/10/2024. Question: How can the source of the money be changed by COIC on January 22, 2024 to enable a switch to "high barrier" shelter beds, since this is after most of the money was already spent?
Previous Update on 02/18/2024: The "low barrier" shelter requirement discrepancy we discuss here was questioned by a Deschutes County Commissioner during the public comment period of the 02/14/2024 Board Of County Commissioners Meeting. We reached out to the Commissioner on 02/16/2024 for clarification/correction and are awaiting that response.
What follows are the original issues we found with the "low barrier" requirements that are tied to the original grant source. They may no longer apply because of the amendment mentioned above that changed the funding source for this grant, after most of the money was already spent.
From the Deschutes County FAQ (see item # 1) about the shelter they are trying to establish for sexual offender parolees in the Larkspur Neighborhood, SE Wilson Ave, on the east side of Bend: "On May 31, 2023, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) and the Central Oregon Multi-Agency Coordination team approved the grant application and awarded Deschutes County $1,078,518.00 for acquisition and initial operations of the program." From this, we learn that the grant money from the State of Oregon flowed to Deschutes County through the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC).
From the Deschutes County FAQ (see item # 1) about the shelter they are trying to establish for sexual offender parolees in the Larkspur Neighborhood, SE Wilson Ave, on the east side of Bend: "On May 31, 2023, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) and the Central Oregon Multi-Agency Coordination team approved the grant application and awarded Deschutes County $1,078,518.00 for acquisition and initial operations of the program." From this, we learn that the grant money from the State of Oregon flowed to Deschutes County through the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC).
COIC has a signed grant agreement (No. OR-503) with the State of Oregon Housing & Community Services to disburse sub-recipient grants up to a total of $13,874,565.00. This agreement is published as part of the meeting minutes, (see page 224) from the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners meeting on 07/26/2023.
On page 238 of the meeting minutes there is Item F in the grant requirements between COIC and the State of Oregon. An image of Item F follows. It pertains to Low Barrier Shelter requirements.
Generally, how can these low barrier shelter requirements be met alongside the requirements Deschutes County, the grant sub-recipient, has outlined in it's FAQ:
Low Barrier Shelter Requirements:
There seems to be a disconnect here. COIC is required by the State of Oregon to disburse grants for low barrier shelters. Deschutes County applied for and received a $1 million dollar grant from COIC for a low barrier shelter, but is not implementing a low barrier shelter? Is anyone, at any level of government, paying attention to what is being done here? Is it ok to be this loose with over $1 million in taxpayer money?
- Item # 9: "House rules will include but are not limited to courteous and legal parking for those who drive, curfew, quiet hours, no drugs and alcohol on property and lawn/yard upkeep."
- Item # 9: "The property will not serve the public at large."
- Item # 9: "Residents and visitors coming to and from the property will be regulated, approved, and primarily occur during business hours."
- Other requirements for residents, outlined in the county's grant application, but not listed here.
Low Barrier Shelter Requirements:
- "...access shelter, housing, and services without preconditions such as sobriety, compliance with treatment plan"
- "...no agreement to participate in specific programs"
- "No required documentation of identification, custody, citizenship, or gender."
- There are more, see document snippet above.
There seems to be a disconnect here. COIC is required by the State of Oregon to disburse grants for low barrier shelters. Deschutes County applied for and received a $1 million dollar grant from COIC for a low barrier shelter, but is not implementing a low barrier shelter? Is anyone, at any level of government, paying attention to what is being done here? Is it ok to be this loose with over $1 million in taxpayer money?
If you want to help stop this shelter from taking root in Larkspur, please consider taking a moment to sign a Change.Org petition.