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 high need.

Perkins described on-the-ground responses and capacity limits. She said the city’s shelter coordinator was working directly with people at China Hat and that some residents had moved to Juniper Ridge. Perkins said staff report “about 38 vehicles” remained at the China Hat site and estimated “maybe 50 people” still there. She also described an uptick in demand for home fire-risk assessments from the fire department and said the city had added about 10 beds at its navigation center, the Lighthouse, but many transitional and emergency sites were full.

Commissioners and staff flagged three operational issues: where people will go after the China Hat closure, whether shelters can safely and sustainably absorb additional residents, and how to expand low-cost options such as safe parking.

Commissioner Eli Lowenstern urged the commission to publish a statement of solidarity with China Hat residents and to consider policy guidance for future encampment clearings. “I think we, as a commission, need to make some sort of statement in solidarity,” Lowenstern said.

Mayor Pro Tem Megan Perkins and equity staff described efforts to expand safe parking and shelter alternatives. Perkins said the city aims to add 15 additional safe-parking spaces over the next two years, bringing a target total to 51 spots, but acknowledged permitting, access and institutional reluctance have slowed progress. Andres Portela, the city’s equity and inclusion director, suggested the commission’s subcommittees consider an education and outreach effort to recruit hosts for safe parking.

Perkins also warned that state-level shelter funding was uncertain. City staff and the city attorney identified House Bill 3644 as the principal shelter funding bill to watch; the city attorney noted that the state legislative picture made local budget planning “very rough” and that the governor’s actions could be the deciding factor if funding were cut.

Authorities and enforcement: Perkins said the China Hat site is on federal land and that the U.S. Forest Service was leading the closure, with the Deschutes County sheriff’s office available to provide backup if arrests or enforcement actions were required.

What commissioners requested next: Commissioners asked staff to clarify which shelters accept animals, where residents from China Hat are being referred, and what immediate legal or logistical steps the city is taking to increase temporary capacity. Several commissioners asked that the policy advocacy subcommittee draft guidance or recommendations on how future encampment transitions should be handled to reduce trauma and improve coordination.

The commission did not take a formal vote on policy at this meeting; commissioners directed staff and subcommittees to pursue follow-up work and bring proposals back to the commission for consideration.

Ending: City staff said they will continue to share dashboard data on Juniper Ridge service hours and placement outcomes. Commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed numbers and proposals for how the commission can support outreach, safe parking expansion and advocacy on state shelter funding.