REDMOND, Ore. -- Redmond city councilors vote unanimously Tuesday to permanently allow micro shelters at safe parking sites in the city. The model has been successful, so far, at five micro shelter sites in the city.

“We've housed or provided shelter for a couple of hundred people," Mountain View Community Development executive director Rick Russell said. "Fifty percent of the people who come into our program, when they leave, they leave for permanent housing.”

REDMOND, Ore. -- The Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Housing Stability Council approved more than $23 million in funding for a planned village of 75 homes near Redmond Municipal Airport aimed at providing permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless people with disabilities, moving the long-awaited project one step closer to construction.

The non-profit Mountain View Community Development said the village will feature 68 homes for people who were previously homeless. The rest will be sold at market rate and will not be built with OHCS funds. Most of the residents are expected to be seniors, 55 and older.

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Mountain View Community Development said Tuesday it's learned it will receive a $3 million grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank through the competitive Affordable Housing Program for its planned permanent supportive housing village near Redmond Airport. 

The project, which was sponsored by First Interstate Bank, comprises a village of 75 homes the organization plans to build on Deschutes County land north of Oasis Village. 

Bethlehem Inn in Redmond held its annual vigil on Sunday for the 29 people who died in Central Oregon while homeless this year. The organization’s staff read out each person’s name and lit a candle for each, as well as for a homeless outreach provider who also died this year. Michael Hancock, executive director for Bethlehem Inn, said he hopes the number of deaths begins to diminish instead of on a steady increase. Any number of candles on the table is too many, he said. Last year, 22 people who died while homeless in Central Oregon.

“We are paying attention to every life in our community. No one should be overlooked and no death goes unnoticed.” said Rick Russell, executive director of Mountain View Community Development.”And we recognize the dignity of each one of these human beings.”

REDMOND, Ore. -- Armed with Tonka trucks and kid-sized shovels, a team of young “construction workers” helped break ground Sunday on a project aimed at supporting unhoused families in Central Oregon.

The expansion at Mountain View Fellowship’s Safe Parking site includes a playground, four microshelters, a pergola and landscaped space for families experiencing homelessness. The effort is led by Mountain View Community Development, the nonprofit that operates the program.

Redmond will begin allowing micro-shelters at safe parking sites within the city, offering another shelter option for individuals taking part in the program. The City Council unanimously approved the amendment to its code on Jan. 28 following an overwhelmingly favorable public hearing.

Mountain View Community Development (MVCD), the nonprofit that operates Redmond's safe parking program, will start with a total of eight structures at a select number of private sites.

Deschutes County voted to lease land in east Redmond for a 75-unit permanent supportive housing project, known as Mt. View Community Village. Redmond nonprofit, Mountain View Community Development, which runs a safe parking program in Redmond and Bend, will lease the land to provide housing for those experiencing homelessness and individuals on fixed incomes.