Eight Anchorage-area legislators issued a letter condemning the Bronson Administration’s consideration of using campgrounds as homeless shelters again this summer.
“Not only would such an action be a clear and knowing violation of municipal law, but as the humanitarian crisis at Centennial Park last year sadly demonstrated, it would be unsafe and inhumane for campers and neighboring residents,” The letter states. “We hope you agree that last year’s experience at Centennial Park – where unwilling campers were forced to face the elements with inadequate gear, had tents invaded by bears, and experienced a shooting and an overdose death – should never be repeated. We urge you to immediately reject this proposal.”
The letter expands on legal and humanitarian issues involved in the plan. Four further signed on to an inquiry into why Mayor Bronson made the rash and misguided decision to repurpose Centennial Campground last summer and proposed it again this year.
It was issued by senators Bill Wielechowski, Löki Tobin and Forrest Dunbar, and representatives Cliff Groh, Genevieve Mina, Andrew Gray, Donna Mears and Stanley Wright. Wright worked for the Bronson administration, including on homelessness.
The proposal was discussed during an Emergency Shelter Task Force meeting Monday afternoon and presented to the full Anchorage Assembly on Wednesday. In addition to using campgrounds this spring, Bronson’s Homeless Coordinator, Alexis Johnson, recommended continuing to use the Sullivan Arena as a mass shelter through the summer.
Upon learning of Bronson’s proposal to use Centennial, Davis park, or Russian Jack Park as homeless campgrounds this summer, the lawmakers quickly issued the letter opposing the plan.
“Last summer’s debacle at Centennial Park showed that operating a long-term campground for residents experiencing homelessness in a heavily wooded area away from the city center only leads to tragedy.”
On Thursday, Groh, Mears, Gray and Dunbar followed up with a records request to the administration, seeking information on how the plan to return to Centennial came about, and who was involved.
“My constituents, and Alaska residents at large, deserve to know why decisions surrounding the Centennial Campground were made,” Groh stated in a press release.
Anchorage Assembly members showed similar skepticism of the plan when it was presented to them Wednesday. Several members expressed that they would not support either the use of campgrounds or the continuation of using the Sullivan Arena as a mass shelter beyond April. They voiced frustration at the lack of forward progress by the Bronson administration, stating that the only progress made since he took office has been from the work of private philanthropic organizations such as the Rasmussen Foundation and Weidner.
Johnson defended the proposal, saying this time Centennial would be an official part of the homelessness response and use “best practices” as identified in the Lower 48. Last year, the Bronson administration insisted that Centennial was not a part of the homelessness response and did not provide services to campers.
Still, members are reluctant to support it.
“It feels like the plan is just to spend a s— ton of money moving people back and forth, forever, I guess,” Assembly member Austin Quinn Davidson said about the plan.
