Monday night Deschutes County Commissioners disagreed on how to fund a homeless shelter in Redmond and Tuesday night Redmond City Council also disagreed, sending it back to commissioners.
There is $450,000 on the line, to turn the Green Way Motel into a high barrier homeless shelter run by Bethlehem Inn.
“We need to be leaders and lead,” said Redmond City Councilor Clifford Evelyn. “We are not leading. What we are doing is playing chess with people’s lives and it is unacceptable.”
“I don’t think we should be funding these at all,” said Redmond City Councilor Krisanna Clark-Endicott. “They should be funded by social service organizations and by the County and State.”
In August, Redmond City Council approved funding for homeless projects, but later put a hold on the funding.
“I think we have to make sure that we are keeping with our purpose and function of city government and if we get outside of that, if we fund one, it is my feeling we could fund them all,” Clark-Endicott said.
Monday, Deschutes County Commissioners decided to hold off on their decision to fund the $450,000 to see what Redmond City Council Decided
By a 4-3 vote, Council decided to stick with the pause on funding and wait for the counties decision.
“The homeless issue has been an issue for a long time and we are making a mockery of this process if you ask me and it is getting really troublesome,” Evelyn said.
“That has been the most dysfunctional process on an issue that I have ever, ever seen,” said Redmond City Councilor Ed Fitch.
County Commissioners will make a decision Wednesday, discussing if they want to fund the rest of the Bethlehem Inn project.
According to a local organization in support of permanent and supportive housing projects, 25 local organizations and 80 individuals have signed an open letter encouraging Redmond City Councilors to fund shelter projects in the city.
