Desert Streams (East Bend) Frequently Asked Questions
A new website, stopcov.org, that expresses opposition to COV's planned village, contains several photos of clusters of shelters placed so closely side-by-side to another another that there is little room to walk around. The pictures show an overwhelming number of units. The photos give the impression that this will be what COV's planned managed village will look like. Is what is on the stopcov.org website an accurate depiction of what COV's managed village will look like?
Will there be 24 hour supervision?
Yes, there will be 24 hour supervision/management from vetted and trained individuals and staff. During working hours a case worker and other staff will be on-site.
In addition to on-site persons, there will be security cameras and a security company coming twice a night. The village will be completely fenced and have a locked and monitored gate.
How many units will be located on site?
Who will be responsible for day to day operations at the location?
Will the workers be trained to de-escalate difficult or upsetting situations or provide assistance and case management to residents?
Will there be background checks for residents and/or staff?
Will C.O.V. be providing only shelter to residents?
What is C.O.V. going to do if camping outside of the fence occurs?
What is the current zoning of this parcel?
This parcel is currently zoned RS (Residential Urban Standard) and the shelter would be sited under HB 2006 which permits emergency shelters in residential zones.
- Siting approvals under HB 2006 are not land use decisions. HB 2006 does not require mailed notice, public hearing, or solicitation of public comment on an application.
- Decisions under HB 2006 may not be appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals but may be reviewed using the writ of review process provided under ORS 34.010 – 34.100.
- HB 2006 was extended by the legislature in 2022 through HB 4051, and the siting authority in HB 2006 now sunsets on July 1, 2023. Shelters approved under the bill may remain in operation after the sunset.
- Applicants must apply for and receive authorization for operation from the City Manager or designee, and agree to abide by all conditions.
General Unhoused Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are unhoused?
On a given night in 2019, 567,715 people are unhoused in the U.S. Between October 1, 2016, and September 30, 2017, an estimated 950,497 people used an emergency shelter or transitional housing program.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs consider a person to be unhoused if they are sleeping outside, in a place not meant for human habitation such as a car or abandoned building, or in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program. Other federal agencies have different definitions for being unhoused.
Who experiences being unhoused?
On a single night in 2019, an estimated:
- 171,670 people in families, including children, experienced being unhoused.
- 396,045 single individuals experienced being unhoused.
- 96,141 individuals had chronic patterns of being unhoused.
- 37,085 veterans experienced being unhoused.
Why do people become unhoused?
Reasons vary, but the main reason people become unhoused is because they cannot find housing they can afford. Other factors can include a chronic health condition, domestic violence and systemic inequality. Read more about the causes of homelessness.
Are the majority of unhoused individuals mentally ill, or using drugs or alcohol?
Decades of epidemiological research reveals that one-third, at most, have a serious mental illness. And it is believed that only 20 to 40 percent of those who are unhoused have a substance abuse issue. In fact, abuse is rarely the sole cause of being unhoused and more often is a response to it because living on the street puts the individual in frequent contact with users and dealers.