Creating and managing five sanctioned sites across Anchorage for people without homes to camp in isn’t practical this summer, according to several Assembly members and the administration’s lead on homelessness issues.
“I personally do not believe that we will be able to stand up five Cadillac plan sanctioned camps with the resources that we have, with no financial plan, by the date that’s being asked of us,” the city’s homelessness coordinator Alexis Johnson told the Assembly. “It’s just not feasible.”
Johnson said she appreciated the task force’s work and ideas, and thinks they could be implemented next summer.“So I am not a supporter of sanctioned camps as a principle,” said Assembly Chair Chris Constant. “I believe it’s a compromise that says, ‘We’ve lost.’ Because the answer to this problem is housing, period, full stop. Housing is the most affordable solution. Housing is the only solution where the feds will help us pay at this time.
“I’m happy to support it, in the hope that we can do it,” said Assembly member Kameron Perez-Verdia. “Because if we could, I’d be 100% behind it. But what I’m hearing is that it’s facing many, many challenges.” “Every district in the city of Anchorage is hurting one way or another. We are seeing people everywhere that we cannot help,” said Silvia Villamides, who is one of the task force leaders that also heads the Downtown Community Council and Alaska Hospitality Retailers. “And to do nothing? I don’t think that’s acceptable.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Updated sanctioned homeless camp resolution makes its way to Anchorage AssemblyThe Sanctioned Camps Community Task Force met Thursday for the first time since the Anchorage Assembly delayed discussion on its resolution over a week earlier.
Read more »
Anchorage Assembly to vote on paying $2.5M settlement to contractor for work on homeless shelterThe Assembly will vote Monday whether to pay Roger Hickel Contracting roughly $2.5 million for work it completed on a controversial shelter project.
Read more »
Mayor asks Anchorage Assembly to settle lawsuit over unapproved construction work for $2.5 millionThe Anchorage Assembly is holding a special meeting next week to consider a request from Mayor Dave Bronson to settle a lawsuit from a contractor over unapproved construction work for close to $2.5 million.
Read more »
APD seeks missing man, investigates death near East Anchorage trailsA search effort is under way Thursday for a missing man off a trailhead in East Anchorage, a day after police discovered a person’s body at another popular trailhead in the same area.
Read more »
Anchorage police searching for missing hikerAnchorage police are searching for a missing hiker who was last heard from on Tuesday afternoon.
Read more »
2 projects could help revitalize Downtown AnchorageBegich and former Alaska Revenue Commissioner Sheldon Fisher are the primary investors in the purchase of both the Aviator Hotel and the former Post Office Mall on Fourth Avenue in Downtown Anchorage.
Read more »