Deschutes County budget discussions highlight costs to clear encampments, develop managed camp in East Redmond

Deschutes County property-management staff told the Budget Committee on May 12 that county-owned sites used by people living outdoors are generating recurring cleanup and maintenance costs, and that the county is budgeting funds in FY2026 to manage a Juniper Ridge temporary safe-stay area and to prepare a managed camp in East Redmond.

Property-management manager Christy Bollinger and staff said the county budget includes specific allocations for cleanup, sanitation, security and preliminary operations for the managed camp and Juniper Ridge temporary safe-stay area. The county’s Project Development and Debt Service fund (Fund 090) shows planned requirements tied to those efforts, including: - Juniper Ridge temporary safe-stay area operations and cleanup: budgeted about $527,000 for FY2026 (city contributions expected to offset part of this amount), - East Redmond site cleanup and preliminary development (including work necessary to exchange land with the Department of State Lands): roughly $300,000 budgeted for FY2026, - Managed-camp operations (partial-year estimate, depending on timing): roughly $80,000 budgeted for FY2026.

Why it matters: Property-management staff said the county’s response to unauthorized encampments on county land is consuming staff time and money and that costs are not fully predictable. The county is also pursuing land swaps and managed-camp development as part of a regional strategy to respond to unsheltered homelessness, but those efforts require cleanup and preparatory work on contaminated or heavily used parcels.

County financing and next steps - Staff told the committee that some of the cleanup and operations costs can come from ARPA and from county TRT capital transfers; the county’s ARPA fund still carries balances allocated to houselessness work and community response initiatives. - Bollinger said some earlier sales proceeds and tax-foreclosure receipts can be routed to the general fund but that legislative changes in ORS and related implementation steps have slowed a program of small foreclosed-property sales; the property team is therefore cautious about relying on foreclosure-sale proceeds for ongoing cleanup costs. - Property staff said they will return with more detailed project scoping and cost estimates as the managed-camp design is finalized and as the land-exchange discussions with the Department of State Lands advance.

Operational details and costs - In calendar-year 2024, county staff reported Juniper Ridge cleanup and operations costs in the hundreds of thousands; in FY2025 the county recorded about $234,000 in Juniper Ridge-related expenses. - Early FY2025 cleanup costs at the East Redmond Department of State Lands footprint were estimated near $61,000 as crews marked corners and removed debris. - Bollinger said the county is pursuing federal, state and local grants where possible, and that some work at La Pine and other rural parcels has been covered by reimbursements or partner contributions.

Staff and committee reaction - Committee members pressed property management on whether the county has pursued all available grant avenues and whether sharing of costs with cities and other partners has been fully explored; staff responded that they are pursuing grants and that the Juniper Ridge partnership with the city of Bend will cover a portion of near-term operating costs. - Some committee members asked that property management return with a longer-term plan showing the county’s property portfolio, potential revenues from sales or exchanges, and a prioritized list of sites where public maintenance or reuse investments would have the highest public benefit.

Provenance: Presentation by Christy Bollinger and Ryan (property management) during the May 12, 2025 Deschutes County Budget Committee meeting.