Clayton Franke

A recent ruling from the state’s labor agency has thrown a wrench into a City of Bend program aimed at spurring construction of new apartment buildings.  In a July 14 decision, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries ruled prevailing wage standards should apply for workers building a 264-unit apartment complex in southeast Bend because it’s […]

In 2019, Redmond was selected to be part of a test.   That was Oregon’s Affordable Housing Pilot Program, a legislative experiment to see if loosening the state’s strict development boundaries could help cities get more affordable housing on the ground faster.   Eight years later, the first homes in that test are under construction. […]

The City of Bend and Deschutes County will spend an extra $550,000 to keep a designated homeless camp north of the City open for an extra six months, through June 2027.   The two governments had already agreed back in January to delay the expected closing date for the camp. A resolution approved by the Deschutes […]

Deschutes County Board of Commissioners finalized its top choice for a new landfill site: a partial gravel mine at the base of Horse Ridge, adjacent to a federal recreation area and trail system about 16 miles east of Bend along U.S. Highway 20. That gives County staff the go-ahead to negotiate a purchase of the property — a […]

Home builders have been pushing back against Bend’s regulations protecting trees from development since they were adopted two years ago. Despite continued calls to relax the so-called “tree code,” the Bend City Council isn’t budging.  At a Sept. 9 meeting, the City Council opted not to go along with requests from the development community that […]

The City of Bend is preparing to buy one of the largest office buildings in town from a downsizing health insurance provider to serve as a new administrative headquarters — a sudden pivot in long-term plans to accommodate a growing number of staff.   At an upcoming meeting on Sept. 16, the Bend City Council could […]

The Asian and Pacific Islanders of Central Oregon group has been hosting potlucks at Orchard Park for six years. The park’s central location in midtown Bend made it a good choice. There’s a picnic table under a gazebo with paved paths and playground nearby, surrounded by rolling lawns and a grove of giant sequoia and […]