Bend Update: City Council’s Managed Campsite Strategy & Juniper Ridge Cleanup

The Juniper Ridge Pivot

How Bend Oregon is transitioning from the "Wild West" to a managed strategy in the High Desert.

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Safety First: The primary driver for the current cleanup is extreme wildfire risk in the 170-acre high-priority fire zone.

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Hard Deadlines: Vacate notices for the 100-foot buffer zones were set for September 30, 2024, with deep cleaning continuing through late autumn.

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The "Managed" Model: Shifting away from unmanaged camps toward sites like the 9th Street Village and the Lighthouse Navigation Center.

Phase 1: Emergency Evacuation Focusing on "high-priority" zones near private property and critical infrastructure to prevent High Desert wildfires.
Phase 2: Biohazard & Vehicle Removal City-contracted teams are clearing abandoned vehicles and environmental hazards from Central Oregon’s landscape.
Phase 3: The "Safe Stay" Implementation Establishing a designated, managed area with infrastructure (sanitation, water, supervision) to replace scattered sites.

Understanding the difference between current needs and available spots in Bend Oregon:

Point-in-Time Count (Est. 1,000+ People)

Total Managed Beds (Approx. 300 Spots)

9th St Village (20-30 Units)

Urgency Level

CRITICAL 🚨

Public Support

MIXED ⚖️

"While residents value compassion, fire safety remains the top priority for locals as we protect the beauty of Visit Bend's outdoor corridors."