New Crook County jail displaces two service groups

Crook County’s new jail is still in the design phase, but an upcoming environmental study related to the project has already displaced a homeless shelter and an addiction services center.

This month, Regeneration House and Rebel’s Roost, an emergency men’s shelter and an addictions services center that provides space for support groups, had to move out of the county-owned structures they were using.

The structures — houses located on the site of the future jail — will have to be demolished to make way for the jail’s construction next year, as well as a required environmental analysis scheduled for this spring.

Both services, which had been renting the facilities for a reduced rent for years, were aware they would have to move. And even though they both successfully relocated over the last few weeks, their employees say they could still use assistance.

Regeneration House, which is part of the larger, local service provider Redemption House Ministries, is still looking for a permanent solution.

It relocated to the basement of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Feb. 9, but the contract the shelter has with the church only lasts 12 weeks, said the ministries’ executive director, Greg Sanders.

“We’re in the process of trying to figure out where we can go to have a more permanent solution,” he said.

The shelter had been using the county-owned house since it opened in 2013, he said, and received notice it would have to move, as well as extensions. Sanders said the first move out date was scheduled for Jan. 3, but the county gave the shelter a 30-day extension and then another week extension after that.

“They were very giving,” he said.

The shelter is open all year and served 47 people last year, Sanders said. Between 8 and 10 people showed up every night. With temperatures getting warmer, he said the nonprofit probably has several months before the need for a permanent shelter location becomes critical.

“We figure we have until October to have something in place, he said. ”But it would be nice to have a shelter for the summer too.”

Rebel’s Roost is in a different situation. The support center, which provides rehab services and a place for its members to meet, had been located in a different county-owned house near the Regeneration House for more than a decade. The center’s 35 members were aware they would need to find a new place one day, said Linvia Kaumanns, one of the members, and they had saved up enough money to put down a $25,000 down payment on a new house located on 6th and Main streets.

“It’s a hell of a location,” said Mark Lucky, another member. “I think it’s going to be a real good deal, once we get it fixed up.”

The new house, which was built in 1912, needs a lot of work before it’s ready to be used. Lucky said that siding has to be replaced, interior work needs to be completed, and the structure’s foundation needs to be repaired, as well.

“Another month in here we and might be able to have it ready,” said Lucky, who has been working on the house with other members since last week.

If anyone wants to donate supplies or help to the center, Kaumanns said the assistance would be welcome.

“Anything helps, she said. “The whole siding outside was bad, bad, bad. The flooring’s bad, the foundation’s bad — there’s a lot.”

— Reporter: 541-617-7829,

awest@bendbulletin.com