Month: August 2026

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend housing leaders are bracing for a tougher stretch as local shelter and affordable housing programs face shrinking dollars and fewer options.

At Tuesday’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meeting, city staff were expected to walk through shelter planning strategies tied to the city’s changing role in addressing houselessness, along with the possible impact of cuts to state and federal funding. The discussion comes as Bend looks ahead to the planned closure of the Temporary Safe Stay Area by June 30, 2027, and the loss of 70 beds at the Franklin Avenue Shelter.

Amy Fraley, Senior Program Manager for houselessness services, said the programs most at risk include safe parking and Central Oregon Villages, a small pod shelter located at Bear Creek and 27th. “So the programs that are most vulnerable in this moment with those cuts are safe parking programs, as well as Central Oregon Villages, which is our small pod shelter located on Bear Creek and 27th,” Fraley said.

Fraley also said the city is working to keep people connected to shelter options as the Temporary Safe Stay Area winds down. “So as of right now, there aren’t 198 beds available. Neither insure shelter or safe parking or affordable housing. So we’re just going to have to work really diligently with our partners to continue their placement,” Fraley said.

“The affordable housing funds and the CICT or commercial and industrial construction tax funds are being prioritized within our housing division goals. And these particular accomplishments today are supporting our shelters and homeless services, affordable homeownership development and affordable rental development units,” Mellissa Kamanya, the city’s Affordable Housing Coordinator, said.

Kamanya also said the city is looking at surplus land as one way to speed up affordable housing development by identifying parcels with infrastructure already in place. But she said one of the biggest challenges remains funding shortages, which can slow or stop projects before they are built.

For Bend, the stakes are local and immediate. City officials have said state funding is not keeping pace with need, and the gap could make it harder to preserve shelter options and keep people housed as the city prepares for more changes ahead.

The committee is also expected to discuss affordable housing funding, surplus land and Community Development Block Grant accomplishments and challenges, including how the city may identify property in Juniper Ridge that could be eligible for affordable housing.

KTVZ News will have more on the meeting and what it could mean for Central Oregon.

(Update: adding comments from OSFM, Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue, video)

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) — As firefighters are sent across Oregon to battle wildfires, small departments must balance the broader call for help while ensuring they have enough personnel to respond to emergencies at home.

Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue shares personnel and equipment through Central Oregon’s mutual-aid system.

“We all share resources and help each other out because not one of us, a single agency, could handle the amount of fires we see in Central Oregon,” Fire Chief Sean Hartley said.

This year, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) awarded nearly $6 million to 180 local fire agencies through its Wildfire Season Staffing Grant program. Each agency received up to $35,000 to help pay for additional staffing during wildfire season.

Priority was given to rural districts receiving less than $2 million in annual property-tax revenue.

“It really does help with wildfires and deployments to those wildfires,” OSFM Public Affairs Director Kassie Keller said. “But it also helps just during the regular course of the day. Whether it’s EMS or a car crash or things like that, the staff are on and they’re able to respond to all the calls.”

At Crooked River Ranch, the grant pays for one additional firefighter each day, providing greater flexibility both inside and outside the district. The award covers that firefighter’s wages for roughly three to three-and-a-half months.

Hartley said the additional staffing has already strengthened the department’s response to wildfires.

“Wildfire is a big issue in Central Oregon. It’s one of the things that can impact our communities the most,” Hartley said. “Through that Wildland Fire Season Staffing Grant, we were able to get multiple rigs to these calls very quickly and keep the fire small.”

Firefighter and EMT William Robles said residents also have an important role to play before a fire begins.

“Managing your property, making sure it is wildfire-safe, is always a good thing,” Robles said. “Just always be ready. Even if your house isn’t under evacuation, always have that plan, because it can happen quickly.”

Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue has received funding every year since the grant program began in 2022.