Roseburg Identified As Next Location For Private Bridge Housing Development

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A company developing a privately funded bridge housing community in Grants Pass has identified Roseburg as the next community it plans to pursue.

The potential project was discussed Monday evening as the Roseburg City Council reviewed homelessness response efforts in Grants Pass. Councilor Zack Weiss voiced strong support for the idea during the discussion.

No Roseburg property has been selected, and no formal development proposal, capacity or construction timeline has been announced. However, information included in the council’s agenda packet says LifeSpace plans to explore a Roseburg development after completing its current project in Grants Pass.

“LifeSpace has indicated that Roseburg is the next community it plans to pursue following completion of the Grants Pass project,” the report states.

The Grants Pass project is expected to open within the next few months. City staff said its completion would give Roseburg an opportunity to evaluate the model while considering whether a similar privately developed community could help fill the gap between homelessness, temporary shelter and permanent housing locally.

Privately Funded Development Model

LifeSpace is developing what it calls a NextStep Bridge Community in Grants Pass. The 176-bed development is expected to open by the end of 2026.

Unlike a city-owned homeless campground or shelter, the project is being financed and developed through private investment. According to information provided to Roseburg officials, no Grants Pass taxpayer money is being used to purchase the property or pay for development and construction.

Under the model described in the packet, LifeSpace can acquire property, develop the community and place the housing units without requiring a city to purchase the land or build the facility. The company then works with local social service providers to connect residents with services.

The development is intended to serve people who need greater stability while transitioning into permanent housing. That could include individuals leaving rehabilitation or treatment, families, seniors, displaced workers and others experiencing housing instability.

Residents would live in individual units rather than a congregate shelter. Some units include full bathrooms and kitchenettes, while others feature smaller living spaces and front porches.

Plans for the Grants Pass community include:

• A community center for supportive services
• Accessible restrooms and showers
• Heating, air conditioning and electricity in every unit
• Onsite laundry
• Dedicated parking spaces
• A manager’s office
• A large fenced pet area
• Pickleball and basketball courts
• Shared community spaces

The units are manufactured by UtilityMate Manufacturing LLC and built on trailer chassis, allowing them to be transported and placed more quickly than conventional housing. According to the council packet, the units do not require individual building permits when located within an RV park.

LifeSpace Already Has A Roseburg Connection

LifeSpace is not new to Roseburg.

Immediately before Monday’s council meeting, councilors toured the Gary Leif Navigation Center and viewed LifeSpace units purchased for the facility. LifeSpace also donated two additional shelters valued at $25,000 each.

The units will allow UCAN to move congregate sleeping beds from inside the Navigation Center into individual shelters within the secured outdoor area.

Moving those beds outside is expected to free interior space for expanded supportive services, daytime use and a permanent heating and cooling location during periods of extreme weather.

The company offers three levels of housing. Its FirstStep units are designed as emergency shelters, NextStep units provide bridge housing, and MyStep units are intended as longer-term affordable housing for working individuals, families, seniors, veterans and people living on fixed incomes.

Separate From Parker’s Place

The LifeSpace project should not be confused with Parker’s Place Village, another privately owned facility in Grants Pass.

Parker’s Place is a low-barrier emergency sleeping facility developed by Elk Island Trading Group. The City of Grants Pass awarded the company $1.179 million toward developing the facility, with the money divided between city land and building funds and opioid settlement funds.

LifeSpace’s NextStep community is a separate private development intended to provide more stable bridge housing rather than emergency sleeping accommodations.

Roseburg staff examined both projects as part of the council’s continuing review of how other Oregon cities respond to homelessness.

The report noted that Roseburg and Grants Pass do not have identical funding options. Grants Pass receives a direct annual Community Development Block Grant allocation from the federal government, while Roseburg must compete for funding distributed through the State of Oregon.

No Roseburg Proposal Yet

Monday’s presentation was informational. City staff made no recommendation, and the council was not asked to approve a project, provide funding or select a location.

The agenda packet says any future partnership, financial commitment or other action involving the City of Roseburg would be presented separately for council review and approval.

For now, LifeSpace’s stated interest marks an early step rather than a finalized development. Important details, including where a community could be located, how many people it could accommodate, who would operate it and which local organizations would provide services, remain undetermined.

Still, the company’s existing relationship with the Navigation Center and its stated intention to pursue Roseburg establish a potential new direction in the city’s ongoing search for additional shelter and transitional housing options.