[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6161737,"mediaKeyId","5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c","parentId",5440955,"title","City to propose two congregate shelter contracts; staff brief committee on capacity, accessible shower trailer","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4920000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c&start=4920&end=4920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c/thumbnail_4920000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6161737/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/City-to-propose-two-congregate-shelter-contracts-staff-brief-committee-on-capacity-accessible-shower-trailer","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6161737-765c0cabb8c56c5eaa3a80d59e8244b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770866310&Signature=P4GHv1gktZSd47ZJKFfHef73vD1ln7eMI0y9h8ESgPCxwVCGIQjSr6fYV7QfPIkqJ0HBiI6XxdHprVL1~ACywpRGKUo7rOIQT~fERJhHczVTK5FZm~1T6X1qbX0YGjLtZNednhCoLRIV43LC-lVroETnk~WpsE8CPoW1MNcTUnwhlfrKN3PrrockRsQSJPjX~msjLZnomXWD7PL0gryhEuZQ~vj~rgB~yTzrBMjIYcqB1Sy57m4LHpploAksrhHybatREnOeA-mGrzprItcUGqIJJ~q9oihKaWgD3mVW4os0UD0UyBubwPBy4HcHcOmrkfJpU-X3tx2OhpqZfzKruw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Municipality of Anchorage","date","2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","article","City staff told the Assembly Housing and Homeless Committee on July 16 that two contracts for congregate sheltering will be introduced to the assembly this month, covering Aug. 30–Dec. 31 with options to extend through 2026 and 2027. Each contract would operate approximately 100 beds, for a total of 200 congregate beds, staff said.

Jessica Parks and municipal shelter staff said the contracts will continue use of the East 50 Sixth Avenue site and add a second site at 1911 East Fifth Avenue. The East 50 Sixth Avenue lease, utilities and damage costs will remain the health department’s responsibility under current arrangements, staff said.

Staff explained the administration’s broader bed strategy: a state‑funded continuation of 100 non‑congregate (hotel‑style) beds from July 1 through year‑end, municipal extensions of non‑congregate beds through June 30, and the two congregate contracts to supplement capacity for the winter and transition periods. The mayor’s housing plan referenced during the briefing had a 10‑year goal for permanent housing production; staff emphasized the contracts are near‑term operational measures.

On services, Parks announced an accessible shower trailer that will arrive in Anchorage in the coming weeks and be field‑deployed. “It will have a retractable ramp and roll‑in shower, wrap bars, all of the things so that we'll be able to accommodate people with mobility challenges,” Parks said.

Committee members asked for a staff work session before the assembly votes on the contracts; staff committed to schedule a briefing and to provide location details and other operational information in advance.

The committee did not vote on the contracts at the hearing; staff said the contracts would be introduced on the assembly agenda later in July and that the administration would work with the committee on a prior work session. The briefing underscored that shelter capacity decisions remain highly time‑sensitive and tied to available federal, state and municipal funding.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Housing and Homelessness Committee Meeting - July 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Municipal staff said two contracts for congregate sheltering will be introduced to the assembly for August–December terms totaling 200 beds (100 per site). Staff also reported state and municipal funding commitments, the continued health department lease at East 50 Sixth Avenue, and arrival of an accessible shower trailer.","taxTitle","Anchorage Municipality, Alaska","taxId",2653,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6161742,"Anchorage HMIS report: point‑in‑time count shows rise in unsheltered people; dashboards explain data differences",1446,2877000,4323000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c&start=2877&end=4323","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c/thumbnail_2877000.jpg","/articles/6161742/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Anchorage-HMIS-report-pointintime-count-shows-rise-in-unsheltered-people-dashboards-explain-data-differences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6161742-f90cf0d9c8bf54880404cf06b6e569f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770866310&Signature=XQJgJpi2Wub4nzOEw60J1ctzJCc4dMDSh-nq-R0yEAgwUrwfEM1Uwwnb5ML0h2uN4dF9PCyWqCy8F6cnPLh2-nW8jd49Tb39qZZEa9LgF9TqHLXLySapF7u8kgY78HVlGW~Kb5NTuNM-aIiaZpP459sM~LQAQBhFVE~lG36lu2y67pnjS525jbQrcmtbe4uST3sL5hS7cDxmUHJ27mwEFex86A~Nrm~JNEKPg7dBOTxO0DQM04o7WFcn24ggyo01iYyEHzqis8W2XoyZAIMt2DUmDK~da5MYnNgw6-TVt2sFaFTZLppoY1WSp~U7M3Y2HdBfpjZAGEqdNdUp6Tghew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jessica Parks, a data analyst with the community HMIS lead agency, briefed the Assembly Housing and Homeless Committee on July 16 about the Anchorage data snapshot, dashboards and the January 27, 2025 point‑in‑time (PIT) count.

The PIT count is a HUD‑mandated once‑a‑year point‑in‑time estimate of people experiencing homelessness on a single night. Parks said the 2025 PIT occurred Jan. 27 and used a three‑day field window and deduplication to avoid double‑counting. “This year, that point in time count happened on January 27, 2025. It was done over the course of three days,” she said.

On the night of the count the HMIS data showed 402 people were unsheltered; emergency shelter (year‑round) housed 748 people, seasonal/cold‑weather shelters housed 365, and transitional housing programs counted 233, for a total of 2,655 people counted across categories on the PIT night, Parks said. Compared with 2024 numbers, the unsheltered PIT count rose from 346 to 402.

Parks explained why the monthly HMIS dashboard and the PIT snapshot can show different totals. The dashboard’s monthly active‑people number reflects anyone with recorded contact in the HMIS system who is considered literally homeless, including people who have recent program interactions and a 90‑day inactivity policy. “If somebody is in a shelter and they leave that shelter and they don't tell someone at that shelter where they're going … our inactive policy is that we don't drop them from that number until it has been 90 days,” Parks said. That policy can produce higher monthly totals than the one‑night PIT snapshot.

Parks highlighted occupancy and outcomes: permanent supportive housing and other permanent housing programs were largely at capacity; overall utilization was about 92% on the PIT night. She emphasized June results tied to recent federal rental assistance deployment: June outflow (people exiting homelessness to housing) exceeded inflow and the ERA funds helped prevent new homelessness and house people.

The PIT survey added a question in 2025 asking people who were unsheltered why they were not in shelter that night. The most common answers were: lack of available beds or being on a waiting list (27%); safety concerns about shelters (14%); personal preference to stay outdoors (13%); and past negative shelter experiences (12%). Barriers such as transportation, privacy needs, health or disability limitations, and pet policies were cited less frequently but were present in responses.

Committee members asked for clarifications about apparent discrepancies between the PIT totals and the dashboard’s active‑homelessness counts; Parks and other staff reiterated that the two tools measure different things for different purposes and that the statewide dashboards default to the entire state unless users filter to Anchorage.

Parks also reported operational items: a new accessible shower trailer was near completion and expected to arrive in Anchorage within weeks; it will include a roll‑in shower and accessibility features for people with mobility issues.

The briefing underlined continuing system capacity limits—shelters and transitional housing were near capacity on the PIT night—and the importance of ongoing outreach, real‑time bed coordination and funding to move people into stable housing.","HMIS lead staff told the committee the January 27, 2025 point‑in‑time count recorded 402 unsheltered people and 2,655 total people experiencing homelessness on that night; staff explained why monthly HMIS dashboard counts and the PIT snapshot differ and highlighted shelter utilization and reasons people decline shelter.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6161747,"Anchorage officials review Davis Park abatement after large coordinated operation",2797,29000,2826000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c&start=29&end=2826","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5440955-9f1f1ead14cd56975bda5dc5c45af67c/thumbnail_29000.jpg","/articles/6161747/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Anchorage-officials-review-Davis-Park-abatement-after-large-coordinated-operation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6161747-b601cf63746b4a5345717977c5f6ba47/orig.mp4?Expires=1770866310&Signature=ag3vonjrP~jZD85MAEdG24EoaZcoZCnnsOxgJxzfVj0QW3Gw7r0wFnKZWZ7Ljs15MzL03DCLLw1pOkeVeNYraXohL9Qpij53An0FUosskLeF22P9RdAjHvTHjKr4ydvspLIS1vGeHZ531eO~PnJadv73DmeKqNbU6XcRSwls8tyPZCLqR4Vp5u8xOESSR4tWvQ3bky6JgaglZr71Ys5CcvJxn8fQkpl5mGKFmVAknY7kdzsHyeqfcnpNsd5LjBLjYVv73zhh-OL8opFa4JePCA~R-6g0EDvbcmAj4b8rmXbeaAJk2bCG2-SYovtd68BM2Q3uqyxp35jC8kbzpR123g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anchorage officials on July 16 reviewed the July abatement of a long-running encampment that spanned Davis Park and an adjacent Snowdon site in the Mountain View neighborhood, describing months of outreach and a coordinated, multiagency operation that removed structures and debris and connected dozens of people with services.

The meeting drew city staff, police leaders and Mountain View clergy to describe what led up to the action, what happened on the ground and what the city plans next for park restoration and neighborhood safety.

Tia Adnan Bevan, special assistant to Mayor LaFrance, said the administration began preparing early because the camp had grown over years and at one point was estimated at about 150 people. “One of the big pieces of that ended up being the federal rental assistance that we were able to start deploying in May. That was 5 and a half million dollars,” she said, adding that state funding was secured to continue 100 non‑congregate beds from July 1 through the end of the year.

City and partner staff described intensive outreach in the 30 days before the abatement, and a larger planning period that included weekly interdepartmental meetings. Parks and Recreation, solid waste, tree maintenance, Anchorage Water and Utility crews, animal control, the fire department, and contractors took part, officials said. The land that includes both the park and the Snowdon site is owned by JBEAR and city staff coordinated with that agency.

Anchorage Police Department leadership described the tactical plan. The department assigned officers and specialized teams to establish a sustained presence during the operation, then shifted to two teams to provide evening “swing shift” coverage after the initial clearing. The police official said the operation began with a plan on July 17 and concluded on July 24 and that field air assets (drones) were used for situational awareness.

“We had one individual that was going in and out of the campsite, and we were able to identify the individual as having an outstanding felony warrant,” the police lieutenant said. The lieutenant added that that person was taken into custody quickly and that there were no arrests for trespassing or disorderly conduct inside the abatement zone.

City staff and contractors reported the material results: Parks’ Healthy Spaces team logged 4,299 person‑hours and removed about 453 tons of building material, trash and debris from the park and Snowdon site. The city removed 31 vehicles under the nuisance vehicle process (Title 15 of the Anchorage code), and outreach workers and contracted providers connected approximately 27 people to treatment, shelter or housing on the day of the abatement and about 23 more in the period after it.

Officials acknowledged hazards encountered during the operation, including several fires that Anchorage Fire Department crews extinguished; police said an alleged arsonist has not yet been identified. The police lieutenant said the department incorporated lessons learned—such as adding aerial situational awareness—into future abatement planning.

Mountain View leaders who addressed the committee praised the outreach and planning but stressed that many people remained in the neighborhood. Pastor Phil Cannon, president of the Mountain View Community Council, said, “The conditions in Davis Park and in the Snowdon were very, very bad,” and said the community had supported a deliberate, careful approach. Pastor Adrian Reed, who pastors a church near Davis Park, said the administration’s approach had changed local perceptions of public safety and credited coordinated outreach: “They’ve taken a proactive stance to help this community, not just Mountain View, but the city as a whole with our homeless problem.”

City officials said next steps include short‑term site restoration and a second phase of municipal management to evaluate contouring, landscaping and other improvements to discourage reoccupation and make the park usable. Parks staff also said a strategic planning process is underway for the Mountain View recreation center to guide long‑term offerings and park improvements.

The committee’s discussion emphasized that the abatement was not a single‑agency action: staff repeatedly described weekly coordination meetings, cooperation across at least a dozen agencies and partnerships with outreach providers like RSS and behavioral health partners such as Turner’s Recovery and Anchorage Recovery Center. Officials cautioned that moving people out of an encampment often takes many contacts and that sustained outreach will continue.

The committee heard requests from community members for continued outreach and rehabilitation work and was told the city would move into park cleanup and planning. There were no formal votes taken during the committee hearing; staff said operational and contractual steps related to shelter capacity would come to the assembly on upcoming agendas.

What happened: multiagency abatement of Davis Park and Snowdon site; 453 tons of debris removed; 4,299 Parks person‑hours; 31 vehicles removed; one arrest on an outstanding felony warrant; about 50 people connected to shelter, treatment or housing in the days around the abatement. What’s next: park restoration and landscaping planning, continued outreach, and review of abatement procedures to reduce safety risks and improve housing exits.","City officials and community leaders described a months-long outreach and a multiagency operation that cleared the long-running Davis Park and Snowdon encampments, removed 453 tons of debris and 31 vehicles, made one arrest on an outstanding felony warrant and connected about 50 people with shelter or treatment services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City to propose two congregate shelter contracts; staff brief committee on capacity, accessible shower trailer

Anchorage HMIS report: point‑in‑time count shows rise in unsheltered people; dashboards explain data differences

Anchorage officials review Davis Park abatement after large coordinated operation