The city of Bend began to remove homeless camps on Second Street in Bend on Oct. 25.   

After several changes and heated debate, the Bend City Council will host a public hearing Wednesday to allow the community to comment on the latest version of the city’s proposed camping code. The code seeks to establish rules for when, where and how unhoused people can camp on city property.

The public hearing could give way to the council conducting a first reading to adopt the code Wednesday. A second reading would be in December.

City councilors began seriously pursuing a code to regulate how unhoused people camp on city properties, sidewalks and streets in June.

Councilors have said that while the proposed code is a response to community concerns, it isn’t a cure-all solution to homelessness

“The city of Bend developed the proposed code to help regulate city-owned property and rights-of-way to make them safer for everyone while also being consistent with federal court decisions and Oregon law,” according to a news release from the city.

Bend is rapidly approaching its two-year goal of adding 500 shelter beds, City Councilor Megan Perkins said in the release.

“That critical piece of capacity building has allowed us to start talking about this code, which adds a regulatory tool to our overall houselessness response strategy,” Perkins said.

Throughout the development process, city councilors have conducted public discussions during which they’ve received strong pushback on some components of the code. Recently, councilors disagreed on the time limit the proposed code should allow people to camp in one place before being in violation. They ultimately decided to allow people living unhoused to camp for 24 hours in one place and give them 72 hours to move at least one block or 600 feet away without returning for at least another 72 hours.

The public hearing on Wednesday will take place as a part of the City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting.