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Sponsor proposes ordinance to criminalize unauthorized camping; chief and city attorney warn of enforcement and legal limits after Davis Park abatement
Summary
Assembly sponsor Daniel McCormick introduced AO 2025‑74 to make unauthorized camping on public property a class B misdemeanor; the police chief and municipal attorney cautioned about enforcement capacity and legal risk, and public testimony was sharply divided following a large Davis Park abatement.
Assembly sponsor Daniel McCormick introduced an ordinance, AO 2025‑74, at an Anchorage Assembly work session that would make unauthorized camping on public property — parks, trails, medians and other public spaces — a class B misdemeanor.
McCormick said the measure is written to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v. Johnson decision and is intended to allow first responders and outreach teams to intervene on conduct rather than criminalize status. “This ordinance is in response to the growing number of unmanaged encampments across Anchorage that are unsafe, unsanitary, and unsustainable,” McCormick said, adding the goal is to “create clear boundaries in our public spaces and connect people to treatment and services through structured engagement.”
Anc…
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