The City of Bend plans to remove three large homeless camps next month, including one along Hunnell Road.
More than a dozen people gathered outside Bend City Hall on Tuesday to protest the decision. Attendees held signs and grilled hot dogs, as unhoused residents shared their frustrations with the city’s response to people living outside.
Nicholas Schindler places signs on his car outside Bend City Hall, protesting the planned removal of a homeless encampment on Hunnell Road. Schindler said he's lived on Hunnell Road for nearly three months.
Joni Land / OPB
Hunnell Road is the largest urban encampment in Bend, and the area has become a focal point for debates surrounding homelessness, specifically how local government officials should address the issue.
Similar to many who camp there, Michelle Hester lives in an RV on Hunnell Road. She has no way to move it and nowhere else to go. Hester recently painted a mural for the city, but now she feels betrayed.
“They promised us they would not touch Hunnell until they had a place for us to go and they don’t have a place for us to go,” Hester said.
The city had previously backed off plans to clear the area in March following public outcry and pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union. That decision also came after officials from the city and Deschutes County abruptly halted talks to open a managed camp in south Bend.
Bend officials say that camps on Hunnell, Clausen and Loco Roads are public health hazards, and will be removed on July 17.
Homeless encampments have come under increased scrutiny by the city. Bend passed a new camping code last year, requiring people to relocate every 24 hours.
Correction: This story previously mischaracterized time limits present in Bend’s camping restrictions. OPB regrets the error.