Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson has directed that a large number of prohibited homeless campsites and assorted structures be removed from the site of Third Street and Ingra.
“Today I directed municipal resources to clean up the growing number of homeless camps at 3rd and Ingra,” Bronson said on June 26. “We are taking immediate action to clean up the illegal structures, pallets, accumulating trash, and abandoned vehicles on the property that previously was the old Alaska Native Hospital. Code enforcement will be tagging abandoned vehicles and those will be removed as soon as possible.”
Bronson added that he aims to “protect public property and the safety of residents and businesses in the area, while respecting the rights of all citizens.”
The mayor released a one-minute video of the cleanup effort, including a more detailed explanation of his intentions.
20 Comments
God bless the mayor, but with this woke Assembly nothings going to change.
Gosh, where was he after his campaign promises? This mayor is the most inept, corrupt and incompetent mayor since forever.
This is Anchorage Lucinda, not Chicago…wrong mayor.
And a key word;.. “Illegal”.
And the Anchorage assembly isn’t? Sounds a tad like projection or calling the kettle black. Take off the blinders.
You are confused, that was Berkowitz.
Okay Lucy, I’ll play that game. What would you have Mayor Bronson do to alleviate the addict problem in Anchorage? And how would you suggest he accomplish that? I’ll wait.
First Tamra, it’s not an “addict” problem. Bronson should have kept the Sullivan Arena as a homeless shelter until a new appropriate facility was built. He closed the Sullivan without providing a place for people to go. How could that not be foreseen? He could have created that facility immediately after being elected like he promised. He could have acted on his Christian beliefs to love one another.
Providing for the homeless is a good thing. It’s something to be proud of. It’s a win win.
Tamra: Elizabeth Henry’s solution outlined below is perfect. She’s spot on.
Lucinda, the Assembly closed the Sullivan, not the mayor.
I have not been following Mayor Bronson too much because the minions in his city have been so loud and receiving so much of the attention like the squeaky wheels that they are. I cannot imagine being a Republican Mayor in a demonrat city. I hope that he will be able to keep that pollution down to a quiet background noise. Last thing Alaska needs is another Seattle, L.A. or San Francisco.
You know single Christians they have more time to host regular group times at the anchorage shelters. If covenant house or Claire house don’t allow a Christian make a weekly group for its clients, Hope center and gospel mission because of its current leadership would be more receiving single Christians making group times meets. One has to br regular and consistent hosting and managing their group to see the fruit in their attendees lives. No matter how much we have been gifted with one gift or another, we are all called upon to develop a number of areas mentioned in the lists of spiritual gifts: to be hospitable, to show acts of mercy, to serve one another, to evangelize. As we seek to serve God out of love for the purpose of building up others for His glory, He will bring glory to His name, grow His church, and reward us (1 Corinthians 3:5-8, 12:31–14:1). God promises that as we make Him our delight, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4-5). Besides what purpose does hoarding our physical talents do for us only anyway if all we do is paint, knit, bead, draw, fish, hike, garden, study Bible, play music, play a sport for self enjoyment while there are two communities where it’s clients sit idle on their hands every day at the Hope center and gospel mission. You know doesn’t matter who is leading anchorage, we will slats forever have a homeless problem. If one wants to reduce a bit, then the neighbors themselves will have to carve out sometime during the week when they can to minister and get show many of our homeless how to use their hands. Single Christians have a bit more time than those who are married or the single parent. That’s what Paul was speaking about being single its also a blessing cause the single has more time to preach, teach, and share the gospel,
A navigation center is seriously needed where struggling individuals can be routed to the right services. Shelters should be temporary with also expectation and some contribution in exchange for that provision, which allows for dignity as well as responsibility. Even just sweeping the floor or picking up any trash. There are many people stuck in homeless situations for whatever reason that are willing to work but without transportation, the ability to take a shower or keep clothing clean, and that is really difficult. A navigation center could provide shower and laundry services as well as transportation to enable those starting back into the workforce. In turn the recipients of such service could either pay a small fee or contribute by contributing cleaning duty. A navigation center could also allow for the many different groups already trying to help the homeless situation come together to some degree in contributing to reducing the problem. Perhaps I am too idealistic? Great books to read are those by Robert Lupton such Toxic Charity.
Is this different from the navigation center the mayor was working on?
The “woke” assembly has been the biggest stumbling block Anchorage and it’s wonderful Mayor has ever dealt with. They are more concerned about drag queens, pushing unapproved vaccines, queer bathrooms and just generally anything queer, comprehension is seriously lacking in them and their support base.
I congratulate the Mayor. There was a time in this country when you carried your own weight. If you didn’t work, you didn’t eat, or have a place to live. Panhandlers were illegal, and driven to the county line not to return. They were hard times that produced hard men that made a nation that provided you an opportunity, if you were willing to work for it. Families took care of their own, and if family members were to ill, or old to provide for themselves, the family provided. If they were unable to work for the prior listed issues and had no family, then there were churches, charities, available to help. Alaska, use to function that way but with the infusion of factions from down below bringing their socialism up here, we are now seeing the twisted policies and behaviors they brought with them. It’s time for a fundamental change, back to common sense, and self supporting individuals, with less government dependency. If you terminate the freebies and hobo camps they will leave or get a job. Both options are desirable. Our tax dollars are for educating the young, fixing roads, and proving a solid infrastructure, with the least amount of governmental intrusion. Mayor, Keep up the good work!
I agree!
I’d like to mention we have a great reverse barometer that frequents Watchman. Read what she says, and do the opposite and then your on the right track! Watchman, is a great resource for what is going on in our state, and I value it’s reporting, Thanks Joel!
Again, I agree on both statements!
Yes, Elizabeth Henry’s idea of a navigation center sounds just like the practical plan the mayor presented at the beginning of his term. Sadly, it was nixed by the out-of-touch and radical Anchorage assembly, which apparently loves to see people homeless and on the streets.