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Anchorage shifts to municipally operated year‑round shelters, opens Linda’s Place and East 56
Summary
The municipality this week moved to year‑round operation of two congregate shelters — East 56 and Linda’s Place — each targeting about 100 guests with surge capacity, and announced a linked micro‑unit project and upcoming operator RFP for behavioral health recovery housing.
The Anchorage Municipality announced this week it has transitioned to municipally operated year‑round shelter operations, with East 56 and a new site called Linda’s Place on East Fifth Avenue each housing about 100 guests and planned surge capacity.
Thea, special assistant to the mayor for health and homelessness, told the commission that “this is really the first week where we officially have municipally operated year‑round shelter.” She said the move is meant to reduce disruption for people and neighborhoods by keeping beds available year‑round and allowing surge capacity at low‑barrier locations as needed.
Staff said operators are in place: Henning is running East 56, and the administration expects 100 guests at each location as moves complete over several days. Lila Taylor, housing services manager with the Anchorage Health Department, said case conferences and discussions with guests led most to volunteer relocation; she said, “Guests ... did so voluntarily.”
The administration also described a related housing development: a contract is signed to build 24 micro‑units on municipal property at Tudor and Elmore, with the potential to add eight more units if external funding is secured. The health department will issue a request for proposals for an operator to run the micro‑units as a behavioral health recovery residence; the same operator could use remodeled space at the Golden Lion for outpatient services.
Commissioners pressed staff on whether the municipality intends to operate shelters long term rather than contracting providers. Thea said the choice partly reflects COVID‑era capacity losses in the community system and the current need for a reliable emergency shelter “safety net.” She acknowledged the muni’s costs and said the administration worked to reduce per‑bed costs in the latest contracts and is open to feedback on long‑term models.
Staff and commissioners also discussed the physical suitability of East 56 and whether to invest in remodeling or seek alternative sites. Thea said East 56 “isn’t ideal” and the administration will evaluate whether to invest in upgrades or relocate.
Next steps: the administration will seek budget approval to continue year‑round shelter funding in 2026, issue the RFP for the operator of the micro‑units and Golden Lion outpatient space (posted for four weeks, staff said), and continue coordinating outreach through Restorative Reentry Services and other partners.
