Bend, Ore. – With housing prices rising, more and more Central Oregonians are falling into homelessness. To address this problem, the Bethlehem Inn of Bend is proposing to expand its shelter.
The shelter said its looking to double the number of family units and build a commercial kitchen, which would be completed by September 2017, according to a proposal submitted to the city.
The property would increase from less than 5,000 square feet to more than 14,000 square feet under the expansion.
Right now the shelter houses 75 to 90 people a night throughout the year and provides 70,000 meals each year.
The Bethlehem Inn must go through a conditional-use permitting process with the city before it can start building.
The cost for the expansion has a price tag of $4.5 million. Bethlehem Inn said its possible to pay for the expansion through public and private support.
