Grants Pass, Oregon, warns Parker’s Place shelter developer over alleged grant violations

The City of Grants Pass issued a notice on September 11 stating that the developer of the Parker’s Place shelter is not fulfilling its obligations under a grant agreement, according to a report from ijpr.org. A separate report from kdrv.com identifies Bernie Woodard as founder and owner of Elk Island Trading Company, a Roseburg-based initiative aimed at providing housing, and says that company manages Parker’s Place Village.

The city awarded the developer about $1.2 million last year to build the 150-bed shelter, which opened at full capacity a few months ago, according to ijpr.org. KDRV describes Parker’s Place Village as a homeless camp in Grants Pass, Oregon, that has operated for just three months and is designed to serve 150 individuals. The two reports use different descriptions of the project.

According to ijpr.org, the city’s notice cited alleged failures that include a lack of service agreements, failure to use a resident intake and tracking system, and incomplete documentation of grant payments. The notice also alleged that the developer did not use an operations manual on-site and failed to pay subcontractors. The city said only about half of the $984,000 distributed to date has been verified, and additional documentation is still pending.

The city identified what it called potential material breaches, including assigning unrelated male and female roommates to the same room and allowing a minor to reside at the shelter, a matter of protecting the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9). These points are described in the city’s notice as potential breaches rather than established findings.

The developer offered two options, according to ijpr.org: collaborate with the city to continue the project, or sell the property to the city for an estimated $821,000 after accounting for grant funding.

KDRV reports that the city has expressed reservations about the continued operation of the camp, citing various issues that need to be addressed. The same report says the city made a decision to grant an extension to the operation of Parker’s Place Village. KDRV does not give a date for that decision. It also reports that concerns have been raised about the project’s sustainability and the support it is receiving.

KDRV reports that community response has been varied. Some residents support the shelter efforts, while others are concerned about impacts on local resources and safety.

Neither the developer’s operations manager nor the city attorney has responded to requests for comment, according to ijpr.org.