Bend Park & Rec Board waives development fees for Veterans Village project
(Update: Adding BPRD news release)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) The Bend Park & Recreation board unanimously approved waiving system development charges (SDCs) Tuesday night for the Central Oregon Veterans Village project on the north side of Bend.
Earlier this year, the Bend Heroes Foundation applied for a waiver of park SDCs to help establish affordable housing for homeless veterans.
The foregone SDC revenue could save the project $88,980.
The goal is to transition homeless veterans into permanent housing within two years of moving into the village.
The development includes 15 single units, with water and electricity, and a community building for meals and services.
Communal living project for veterans could serve as a model for solving the homeless crisis Bend s newest neighborhood won t have a homeowners association or a lengthy list of bylaws. There won t be any open houses or bidding wars among prospective homebuyers. What it will have is a collection of individuals who have served their country but have since fallen on challenging times. Central Oregon Veterans Village is a chance for them to make a fresh start while living in a community of individuals who are facing similar challenges. With any luck, their stay will be uneventful and short-lived as they transition into stable long-term housing, something that some of the residents haven t had since they left their service careers.