Commissioners, council liaison discuss China Hat closure, Juniper Ridge safe-stay and strained shelter capacity in Bend

At the Human Rights and Equity Commission meeting on April 30, 2025, Council liaison Megan Perkins told commissioners that the China Hat encampment on federal land was scheduled to close “as of Thursday morning,” and she described coordinated city and county efforts to move people into shelter or services.

The commission’s discussion centered on immediate support for people displaced by the China Hat closure, the Juniper Ridge temporary safe-stay site and the city’s limited shelter capacity as state funding remained uncertain. Perkins said the area outside the Juniper Ridge temporary safe-stay would be closed “as of May 31” and that service providers and security were actively enforcing no open fires and animal-leashing rules at Juniper Ridge.

Why it matters: Commissioners said many residents displaced from China Hat will need shelter, transportation and assistance finding stable housing. City staff and service providers are already stretched, and a shortfall in state shelter funding could reduce local capacity during a period of…