7/01/09 Bend
 
by Ariel Wesler
 
"It's not our issue". . .That's what bend city councilors said tonight before deciding not to hear an appeal against the Shepherd's House expansion.
 
"Why put both sides through a long appeal process.  Let's just let it go to the final decision maker and that's LUBA," said Bend City Councilor Mark Capell.
 
 
The homeless shelter wants to increase capacity from 32 beds to 60.  Neighboring businesses filed an appeal in June after a hearings officer approved the shelter's request.
 
 
"The idea is that there's going to be an increase on the strip that's slowly losing more merchants already," said Dustin McCord, a commercial broker.
 
 
Neighbors argue crime has increased in their area due to the shelter.  Brokers say they can't attract prospective buyers and the transients are destroying their property value--dropping in some buildings from $1.15 a square foot to around 25 cents.
 
"There's been increases in vagrancy, homelessness, breaking and entering, and people living and squatting in the property," McCord said.
 
"We turned in plenty of testimony showing the 911 calls are even lower there than they are in other places," said Lynda Johnson, the Shepherd's House Director.
 
The shelter says it has a strict no drug and alcohol policy.  It argues the location near the railroad tracks is drawing other transients not associated with shelter.  Councilors believe neighbors will likely appeal to the Land Use Board, known as LUBA.
 
 
"It would be nice to see them get together and sit down and figure out how to live together but my guess is they're going to continue fighting," Capell said.
 
"I'm hoping it doesn't but if it does, then we continue on I guess, trying to fight for what's right," Johnson added.
 
A fight city leaders say is out of their hands.