A large tent sits near the Campbell Creek Greenbelt Trail. Photographed May 7, 2024.
Hundreds of residents live without appropriate shelter in Anchorage, often sheltering themselves in tents or vehicles, often in groups forming “encampments” on public land. Conditions at such sites can become dire, as they had along Fairbanks Street in Midtown even before the shooting death there a week ago.
Fortunately, Anchorage has made strides in recent years to meet more of this population’s needs. Unfortunately, interventions to date have been incomplete, sporadic, and tentative. As a consequence, frustration remains widespread.— which appears to give cities like Anchorage more latitude to abate encampments — has not handed the Municipality the tool it needs to resolve this challenge. How could it? Abating one encampment so that others may grow fails to address root causes and overall effects.
The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email