Despite an attempt to delay the closure and clearing of Hunnell and Clausen roads on Bend’s north side, it will proceed as planned starting Tuesday.
A group of homeless living there took the City of Bend to court last week to delay the clearing, saying it was too rushed. Now, many of those people were supposed to be out by midnight Monday night.
“People are just scrambling, trying to get out of here. And the other ones that don’t get it will tomorrow,” said former Hunnell Road resident Stacy Ray. “You know, because there are a few that say, ‘Oh no, I am not moving,’ but they’re going to move. We lost in court today.”
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Hunnell Road residents and a few friends who were helping them Monday night reacted to the news they had to leave.
“Well, I just found out about it five minutes ago,” said Dan Mooney. “I am just here helping my friends pack their things up, helping them out. But they don’t know where they are going. They got no idea. They are scared.”
Several on Hunnell Road said they were unaware of Monday’s court decision and that they had to leave that night.
The City stated they’d been notified, saying;
“The City’s communication with people living out there has been very consistent and thorough and has said that we would close the area as of midnight tonight.”
The City said it is giving about two dozen people an extra seven days after they requested an extension due to disabilities.
Several, if not all, of the RVs on the roads do not run or work.
“You see,” said Ray. “There is nobody out here and people have to be gone by midnight. And there is no one saying, ‘Hey, here is drug rehab. Here is a job fair. Here is mental health or any of that.”
The full cleanup could take weeks.
The city also released this statement on the morning of July 18
The camping code has been in effect since March 1 and staff have been enforcing “manner” regulations only in the Hunnell area – (of the time, place and manner regulations) but there was never any intention for that to continue indefinitely. Our teams have been talking to individuals on the ground about the camping code’s existence for many months.
As for the beginning of enforcing time and place components of the camping code, and the July 17 deadline, the following steps have happened:
Service provider notification:
- On June 20, the City’s Houseless Services Program Manager sent an email to dozens of individuals representing a variety of service providers and organizations, alerting them of the plan and inviting them to a meeting June 27 to discuss the plan.
- On June 27, City hosted a meeting with service providers and local agencies to identify and coordinate resources. (The City does not provide social services but partners/supports with some organizations that do.)
Communications with unhoused community members in the area:
- Staff distributed informational flyers to unhoused community members in the Hunnell Road area June 23, which included details on the cleanup of the area and provided information about resources for people.
- On July 3, Code Enforcement and Right-of-Way staff posted a two-week notification in the area to alert people living there of the plan to temporarily close the area to camping and parking.
- The City posted 72-hour notices on camps in the area on July 13, saying that the area must be vacated by 11:59 p.m. on July 17, and providing information about resources available to individuals.
As for those individuals who requested a modification due to disability, the City investigated those requests the day after receiving them and communicated directly with those individuals informing them of their one-week extension on the timeline.
