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Fire, code enforcement officials warn of risks from vacant, occupied abandoned buildings after series of large fires
Summary
Fire and code enforcement officials described recent large fires at occupied vacant buildings, said roughly 90 properties are registered as vacant, and urged the public to report dangerous structures through AnchorWorks; officials said code enforcement staffing and legal steps to compel owners are priorities.
Anchorage Fire Department and municipal code enforcement on March 5 told the Public Health and Safety Committee that recent large fires in vacant or illegally occupied buildings have revealed safety gaps and a need for stronger enforcement of property‑owner responsibilities.
"It was a very close call," Chief Saraghi of the Anchorage Fire Department said about the America's Best Hotel fire, describing a building without sprinklers, smoke detection, electricity or fire doors that officials estimated contained 30–40 occupants. He said such structures endanger both occupants and first responders.
Why it matters: Officials said occupied vacant buildings impose a public‑safety risk, create costs for emergency responders and can be a financial and neighborhood blight. The committee pressed departments on enforcement resources and options for holding negligent owners accountable.
What officials told the committee
• Scale and staffing: Scott Campbell of Code Enforcement said the municipality currently has about 90 registered vacant and abandoned buildings but noted that number excludes properties not formally registered. He said code enforcement has only four code abatement officers and must prioritize triage responses.
• Owner responsibility and enforcement: Fire officials and the mayor’s office framed the issue as shared responsibility among owners, occupants and the public. Chief Saraghi said the city is working with legal to pursue stricter enforcement against negligent owners and to use daily fines and forced remediation when owners fail to secure properties.
• Complaint process and reporting: Code Enforcement said the public should report vacant and abandoned buildings through AnchorWorks or by calling the department; staff aim to respond to complaints within one to two days when possible.
• Property remediation and funding: Officials noted the municipality used ARPA funds to remove 10 vacant buildings last year and plans to continue targeted removals. They said coordinating with legal and identifying priority zones could improve results.
Quotations from officials
"We don't have a proactive approach, so we are complaint based driven," Scott Campbell said. Chief Saraghi added: "The owners of the buildings have an obligation to make sure that their buildings aren't being unlawfully occupied."
Questions and next steps
Assembly members asked for a simple public guidance sheet and a single point of contact for reporting. Officials said AnchorWorks provides a public intake channel and that staff will prepare briefing materials for members on methods to track, report and escalate vacant‑property issues. The city also indicated it will continue selective demolition and pursue legal tools to compel remediation.
