The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of a five-bedroom house in Newport Wednesday for use as additional post-release transitional housing.
The vacant home, located at 168 SE 10th Street, Newport, was previously operated as a group home and has three bathrooms. Purchase price is $347,500, with the money coming from state funding for parole and probation.
Initially, the county will be able to house five male probationers at the property, but with future modifications, it may be possible to house as many as ten individuals at the site.
Board Chair, Claire Hall, the supervising commissioner for the department said, “This is a great win-win. We’re going to improve community safety and help people get their lives back on track.”
The County’s community justice program already operates three homes for offenders released from custody, with a total of 28 available beds, but department director Tony Campa says there’s a long waiting list for these facilities.
Campa said each probationer will have an assessment, with a program designed to meet their individual needs. “Each individual will have wrap around services geared towards their needs, as different treatment programs work for different people.”
He added that the new house will be targeted to serve men experiencing mental health disorder substance abuse, homelessness, or a combination of all three.
No date has been set yet for the new home to become operational, but Hall and Campa expressed hope that it will happen soon. The County’s pre-purchase inspection of the property found only minor repair needs.
