The City of Bend has approved the Emergency Shelter Siting Application for the Veterans Village project. This Emergency Shelter is made possible by the passing HB4212, which “Requires local governments to allow siting of qualifying emergency shelters by qualifying entities notwithstanding land use laws.”
The site, located on the North end of Bend, will be located on Deschutes County-owned land, but required the City of Bend approval as the site is within City limits. Deschutes County has committed to a ten-year lease of the land to Veterans Village for the purpose of housing homeless veterans.
Bend Heroes Foundation was the applicant, and Central Oregon Veterans Outreach was listed as the future operator of the shelter.
Central Oregon Veterans Village is envisioned as a Public-Private Partnership with the City of Bend, Deschutes County and the private/nonprofit sectors. The Veterans Village will initially consist of 15 shelters and a community building. Services and shelter will be provided for residents for stays of up to two years, while residents transition into permanent housing. The Village will be staffed by full-time case managers and administered by a board of oversight. COVV anticipates transitioning 15-20 veterans experiencing homelessness to permanent housing within the first year of operation.
For more information about the Central Oregon Veterans Village, please contact Erik Tobiason at 541-678-0662.
