KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. — A group of Klamath Falls residents are speaking out against county commissioners, as the county looks to purchase a motel and RV park. While the county is hoping to use the space to house more individuals, the purchase could put some new people out on the street.
The county hopes to use the Oregon 8 Motel and RV Park as a transitional housing facility. But, now the residents in the RV park and wondering where they are supposed to go.
Chris Alexander and her husband Jason have been living at the Oregon 8 Motel and RV park for around 2 years. On March 15th Alexander woke up to an eviction notice from her landlord, saying she had 60 days to vacate.
“I don’t know if I have a place to go to or not,” says Alexander. The reason, because the county is looking to purchase the facility with a $1.8 million grant, administered through the Oregon Community Foundation.
“They are putting us in a position, not all of us but some of us, that there will be no place to live, we might be living at the Walmart parking lot I don’t know,” says Alexander.
She’s since been told to disregard the eviction and wait for more information from the county. “We’re completely in limbo, we don’t know what to do,” says Alexander.
Klamath County Commissioner Kelly Minty Morris tells us the county is in the process of purchasing the property.
If acquired, the facility would have spaces available for individuals who have recently been incarcerated, impacted by wildfires, contracted COVID-19 or another communicable disease, or veterans who have become homeless.
“This project is potentially a huge opportunity for the county, securing a large grant to help alleviate something we know we are going to need is really an amazing opportunity,” says Commissioner Minty Morris.
The commissioner says the county is not looking to address one housing issue by creating a new one.
“Nobody will be displaced from this project, this project is intended to help alleviate houselessness and temporary housing shortages,” says Commissioner Minty Morris.
Alexander says a lot of her neighbors have children, and they too are looking at moving out, because they don’t know what the county’s plans are. Alexander says she and other residents are planning to voice their concerns at the commissioner’s meeting Tuesday morning.
Commissioner Minty Morris says the timeline for moving forward with the project is unclear.
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