Deschutes County commissioners at odds on how to deal with homelessness

Think Out Loud

Since the Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling in late June, which ruled that cities are now able to ban camping or sleeping in public spaces, local governments have been navigating how to handle this new power. For years, Deschutes County has battled with the Oregon Department of State Lands on a pending land swap between county-owned lands and the state. In 2022, the state required that the county clear homeless encampments on county property before making any deals. Now, as Clayton Franke from the Bend Bulletin reports, Deschutes County commissioners are in disagreement about how to address homelessness and these encampments after the Supreme Court ruling. Franke joins to share more.