DALLAS, OR - Polk County officials plan a temporary shelter for sex offenders emerging from prison who might otherwise be homeless.

The county plans to remodel three rooms in a building that houses the county corrections office.

"It will be available to house no more than three offenders, and they won't be able to stay longer than 30 days," said Marty Silbernagel, Polk County's community-corrections director.

Two years ago, the state Department of Corrections told the county to solve the problem of homeless sex offenders or risk losing state community-corrections funding.

The county's position made news when Larry Lee Edwards, designated a predatory sex offender, was released from prison but did not have a place to stay in Polk County.

The housing units are expected to cost $8,000 to $10,000, county Commissioner Ron Dodge said, and sex offenders who stay there will be charged rent to recoup the costs of the remodeling.