Amid a growing crisis of sprawling and often crime-riddled homeless camps in city parks and neighborhoods, the Anchorage Assembly is set to consider a new ordinance that would punish unauthorized encampments with up to six months in jail and up to $2,000 in fines.
Backed by Assemblymen Keith McCormick, Scott Myers and Jared Goecker the proposed ordinance seeks to address what it calls “extensive unauthorized encampments that endanger public health, safety, and the quiet enjoyment of public places.” It will be up for consideration at the June 24 Assembly meeting.
The ordinance highlights that the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, held that local governments may criminalize public camping regardless of available shelter capacity without violating the Eighth Amendment so long as the prohibition targets the conduct of the offenders rather than their homeless “status.”
Currently, Anchorage’s only legal tool to address illegal encampments is to abate them, but there is no provision to impose jail time or fines for violators.
The proposed ordinance would address this by classifying illegal encampment as a Class B misdemeanor.
A memo on the proposed ordinance notes that the Assembly considered two ordinances in 2024, which proposed criminal penalties for prohibited camping. The first had its criminal prohibitions stripped out, and the second was postponed indefinitely “despite significant public support indicating that residents of Anchorage would like this criminal penalty to return.”
“As a result, the Municipality has been forced to rely exclusively on the abatement process in Title 15 as its only tool for addressing encampments scattered throughout our neighborhoods,” the memo explains. “This proposed ordinance addresses this issue by creating a class B misdemeanor offense for persons knowingly ‘camping on public property or premises.’”
Ordinance sponsor McCormick has been taking to social media lately, showing stark videos, that reveal trash-filled parks, public inebriation and sprawling tent and tarp cities, one of which recently went up in flames. He is calling on concerned residents to show up for the June 24 assembly meeting to share their concerns.
TAKING ACTION
— The June 24 Anchorage Assembly meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers at the Loussac Library. The public may submit written comments at www.muni.org/testimony and may also participate in-person, or by phone. Those who would like to provide comments or testimony over the phone, need to sign up online at this link www.muni.org/testimony by 5 p.m. on June 23. There is no sign-up list for in-person testimony – the Chair will invite the public to speak on a first come basis.
— Click here to view the agenda for the June 24 Anchorage Assembly meeting.
16 Comments
Too many loonies on the Anchorage Council. They won’t pass this important proposal. Vote out Christopher Constant, et al.
There are, indeed, laws against stealing, drug dealing, arson, trespassing, public nudity, etc. The question is if the Muni is willing to enforce those laws. And they really ought to bring back the law against public drunkenness. People passed out face down on the sidewalks in downtown aren’t a real draw for tourists, or the rest of us, for that matter.
Amen.
The Anchorage Assembly, makes their own laws that benefits themselves.
Naw, it will never pass.
All this nonsense could be over in a matter of days if the Anchorage police adopted a ZERO Tolerance policy towards vagrancy, loitering, trespassing, littering, public urination and excrementing, panhandling, shoplifting, public drug use, public alcohol intoxication, public sex acts, etc.
It’ll never happen though because that would interrupt their plan for a bolshevik style collapse of our system so they can implement their marxist utopia.
That approach would be way more expensive than what anchorage is doing now.
I sincerely hope so many residents show up to the June 24th meeting that the chambers are packed to the hilt and there’s a line out the door a mile long waiting to get in!
Thank you, Assemlymen McCormick, Myers, and Goecker! (Though I’m ashamed that we have to rely on the guys from Eagle River to bring forth sane proposals.)
get these homless people out of here now they camp in my alley go through our dumpsters and throw trash everywhere they need to go asap
“Six months in jail and up to $2,000 in fines.” In jail at least they get a place to sleep and three squares a day. As for the fine, how do you collect $2,000 from someone who has nothing? And once they complete their jail times, what resources do they get that may result in improving their lives? As usual, lots of knee-jerk reactions and precious little practical solutions. Jon (above) says “Get these homeless people out of here now!” To WHERE, exactly? Bus them out into the Alaskan wilderness and just leave them there?
I’m afraid I have to agree with Paul. It’s not a reasonable solution.
In jail, there is a chance to sober up and get clean long enough to think clearly and honestly about their lives. It could be a turning point for many, if they’re held accountable for their actions.
Oh boy! Fining and Jailing the homeless is just a brilliant f….ing idea. They have no money! They have no place to live! The don’t have sh.t! Let’s cost taxpayers more money to house the homeless in jail or fine them (on paper cause they can’t pay) and spend money on accounting of money owed that will never get collected. How do we find these Brilliant Law Makers that seem to dominate our halls of legislation. I see that we are now going to sell the land in Alaska to the highest bidders to get money to continue making brilliant decisions like this one. I wonder how much of the homeless problem in Alaska could be positively dealt with by reinstituting the Homesite Program of the past. The cost of homelessness in this State could at least be partially alleviated while building possible new communities of people providing for themselves and providing growth for this State. Alaska has been a wonderful Park for a long long time. Possibly this is the time to open it the people instead of Big OIL, Big Gas, Big Mining.
We should consider jail time for the Anchorage assembly!
3 hots and a cot . Not a bad deal for some
Jail will give them 3 hots and a cot for free. You won’t hear many complaining, unless they are addicts or crazy.
What an idea! Are you kidding me. Look who sponsoring it. They will get no where with the rest of the assembly.
REVOLUTION, REFORMATION, REVIVAL
PRAY…………..PREPARE……………PROCEED!