The Anchorage Assembly closed a lengthy public hearing July 11 on AO 2025‑74 (S2), an ordinance that would amend Anchorage Municipal Code chapter 8.45 to prohibit camping on “protected premises” and to ban construction on public land with criminal penalties. After nearly five hours of testimony from residents, service providers, business owners and public‑safety advocates, the Assembly moved the item to its July 15 regular meeting by an 11–1 vote.

The public hearing drew sharply divided testimony. Supporters said the ordinance would protect parks, trails and commercial corridors from fire, theft and other crimes linked to some encampments. “This ordinance is a tool to keep our greenbelts, trails and schools safe for everyone,” said David Wigglesworth, a Midtown resident who urged limits around trails and waterways. Business owners and downtown property managers described repeated thefts, vandalism and confrontations near their properties and said the code would provide needed enforcement authority.

Opponents — including unhoused people, providers and civil‑liberties groups — warned that the ordinance would criminalize survival and make it harder to exit homelessness when shelter capacity and treatment resources are already constrained. Elizabeth Matthews, senior director of housing at Covenant House Alaska, told the Assembly: “If passed, this ordinance would not only punish people for being unhoused, it would actively make it harder for them to ever exit homelessness.” The ACLU of Alaska testified that the S2 substitute still risks unconstitutional enforcement because it does not guarantee meaningful shelter alternatives or require referral to diversion programs before prosecution.

Many speakers pressed the Assembly to address shortfalls in shelter beds, diversion services and housing-first options before enacting criminal penalties. Multiple witnesses described shelters and diversion programs as full or underfunded; Covenant House representatives and other providers said some funding lines had been reduced and that courts and therapeutic diversion programs lack capacity to absorb a new caseload. Several speakers also emphasized that Alaska Native people are disproportionately represented among the unhoused population, raising equity concerns about enforcement.

Supporters countered that abatement and enforcement are already happening and that some camps have become centers for drug dealing, open fires and violent behavior. “When the APD went into the camp I didn’t see handcuffs,” said David Morgan, a Midtown resident who has observed abatements; “it was businesslike, orderly, and they actually tried to help, hooking them up to other services.” Others described the effects of encampments on park use, trail access and tourism.

After public testimony the Assembly voted 11–1 to adjourn into executive session to receive legal advice on the ordinance and related amendments. The body took several procedural votes in the session: it extended the meeting time (first to 5 p.m. earlier in the record, then to 6 p.m. by unanimous vote while in executive session), and by unanimous consent placed restrictions on disclosure of the executive‑session recordings pending any future Assembly action. When the Assembly returned to open session it voted 11–1 to postpone further consideration of AO 2025‑74 S2 to the July 15 meeting.

The item remains on the Assembly’s calendar, with staff and several members indicating they expect additional amendments and legal analysis before final deliberation. Assembly members and city staff told the public they intend to publish any updated materials and the revised agenda in advance of the July 15 meeting so residents and providers can review any changes.

Votes at a glance

- AO 2025‑74 S2 (ordinance amending AMC ch. 8.45 to prohibit overnight camping on protected premises and prohibit construction on public land): Motion to postpone consideration to July 15 — PASSED 11 yes, 1 no.
- Motion to adjourn into executive session for legal advice on AO 2025‑74 and related amendments — PASSED 11 yes, 1 no.
- Meeting‑time extensions: earlier extension to 5:00 p.m. (vote recorded earlier in the meeting) — PASSED 10 yes, 2 no; later extension to 6:00 p.m. (vote taken during executive session) — PASSED unanimously.
- Disposition of executive‑session recordings (motion to withhold/disallow public release absent further assembly action) — APPROVED by unanimous consent.

Why it matters

The ordinance sits at the intersection of public safety, public‑space management and homelessness policy. Supporters say it gives police and parks staff a clearer tool to remove hazardous encampments and protect parks and commercial areas; opponents say it risks criminalizing poverty without ensuring shelter capacity, diversion, or rehabilitation resources, and may disproportionately impact Alaska Native residents. The Assembly’s July 15 session will include further debate and likely amendments.

What’s next

The Assembly returns to the ordinance at its July 15 regular meeting. City staff said they will publish any updated draft materials and legal analysis before that date. The hearing record on July 11 included dozens of public speakers, providers and advocacy groups; many said they would return for future debate and count on the Assembly to consider additional funding and programmatic commitments alongside any code change.