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Washington County outlines Cornell Road transitional housing plan; residents press for limits on high-risk offenders
Summary
County staff described the planned Cornell Road recovery transitional housing project and said state rules and parole supervision limit placement of certain offenders in permanent housing — but public commenters noted Oregon law exempts transitional housing from existing proximity prohibitions and urged the county to set local safeguards.
Washington County staff used the Oct. 7 meeting to remind the public that a community information session on the proposed Cornell Road recovery transitional housing project will be held Oct. 14 and to summarize program safeguards; residents who live near the site used public comment to press for further protections.
County presentation: Chair Harrington and county staff described the project as recovery transitional housing in which program participants will have already been connected to recovery treatment and will have opted into a sober living environment. Staff said the operator will provide 24/7 on-site staffing, will coordinate with community corrections and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on applicable criminal-history-related restrictions, and that program partners will work with nearby neighbors on a neighborhood plan or “good neighbor agreement.”
Legal limits and an important exception: County staff reminded listeners that certain offenders are already prohibited from living near parks, schools and child-care locations under state classifications, and that parole officers enforce dwelling restrictions for some classifications. However, multiple public commenters pointed to the Oregon Revised Statutes provision for residence restrictions and said that the statutory prohibition on residing near locations where children are primary occupants applies to permanent housing and specifically excludes transitional housing placements.
What residents said: Megan Hill, president of the Oak Hills Homeowners Association, told the board that the statutory exclusion means “high risk offenders, including those classified as predatory or violent, can be legally placed in this transitional housing, even near schools or parks, if a parole officer deems it acceptable.” She urged the county to reconsider any public statements that suggested a blanket exclusion of level-2 or level-3 offenders from the Cornell Road site.
Neighbors’ safety concerns: Multiple nearby residents, including Ken Olyphant and Melissa Laird, described young children and schools within three-quarters of a mile of the site and asked for strict rules in any good-neighbor agreement. Laird asked that placements exclude people with violent or sexual offenses, require enforceable removal procedures for residents who break program rules, and ensure robust 24/7 on-site professional staffing.
County next steps: Staff reiterated the Oct. 14 informational meeting (hosted by CPO 1) and said the county will post materials and details on washingtoncountyor.gov. Staff also noted that any enforcement of state residence restrictions is carried out by parole officers; the county will coordinate with community corrections and the operator on program rules, monitoring, and reporting to law enforcement as needed.
Ending: County staff urged neighbors to attend the Oct. 14 information meeting and to take part in the neighborhood planning process, and noted that final program details — including a neighborhood plan and operator responsibilities — will be developed through that engagement and through coordination with state parole and corrections authorities.
