Meet Phil Chang

Phil has served our community for 20 years, both as a natural resource professional engaged in forest and river stewardship and as a volunteer for the Bend 2030 Vision Task Force, his Neighborhood Association board, the Trout Unlimited Deschutes Chapter Board and other projects. He is a dedicated dad to 16-year-old Max, a Bend-La Pine School District student who enjoys mountain and river adventures.

Phil is the son of immigrants who fled mainland China during the Communist take over and raised a family in the Hudson River Valley in New York state. Before arriving in Deschutes County in 2004, Phil worked to help rural communities build sustainable economies where workers can combine making a living with being good stewards of the environment – from Utah to California and from Washington state to Wyoming.

Before running for the office, Phil learned a lot about being a County Commissioner working for non-profit organizations in rural communities and at the federal, state, and local levels of government. He earned a Master’s in Science degree in natural resource policy and management at U.C. Berkeley.

 

2023 Accomplishments

  • Held 6 Coffee with a Commissioner events across different areas to connect with constituents.

    Advocated for a business license and fee for Short Term Rentals (STRs) to address community concerns of neighbor impacts and housing availability and to recover costs.

    Expanded health care coverage for County employees, including abortion care.

  • Encouraged the creation of Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund for community asset development and preservation.

    Led a campground and park feasibility study and advocated for regional connector pathways in the County Transportation System Plan.

  • Collaborated with COBA for a $1 million "missing middle" housing investment program.

    Supported affordable housing projects through land donations and discounted sales.

    Developed and implemented regulations to allow rural Accessory Dwelling Units.

    Tracked affordable housing developments enabled by County funding allocations and land contributions.

  • Advocated for policies preserving wildfire insurance coverage and lower premiums.

    Successfully lobbied for larger prescribed fires with appropriate smoke management near Bend to reduce future wildfire risks.

    Brought Oregon Conservation Corps assistance to disadvantaged residents to create defensible space around homes.

  • Exercised oversight of Measure 110 funds for addiction treatment and recovery services.

    Planned allocation of $6.7 million in national opioid litigation settlement funds.

    Advocated for effective drug treatment courts with the Public Safety Coordinating Council.

  • Scrutinized and voted to restrain destination resorts and harmful comprehensive plan amendments and rezone applications.

    Identified BLM properties for a sustainable solid waste facility and supported a renewable natural gas project.

  • Established a County Wolf Livestock Depredation Compensation Committee to support co-existence.

    Promoted learning and dialogue on factors causing mule deer population declines.

  • Co-chaired the Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative for water resource planning.

    Advocated for water conservation projects and secured funding for needed well deepening.

  • Extended Safe Parking opportunities and created pathways for shelter beyond Urban Growth Boundaries.

    Shaped a County camping code to facilitate homeless individuals' transition out of homelessness.

    Expanded local government staff and organizational capacity to respond to homelessness.

  • Advocated for fiscal responsibility and less debt service burden in planning for courthouse expansion project and refused excessive Commissioner pay increase in budgeting.

    Prevented discontinuation of the County Historic Landmarks Commission.

    Implemented the non-partisan Commissioner ballot measure passed in November 2022.

    Facilitated DSL land exchange in Redmond and supported the Governor's Homelessness Executive Order funding.

    Supported and stood with St. Charles nurses in contract negotiations.